Hasina fails to keep polls pledges, says Ershad

NILPHAMARI, Apr 16 (UNB): Jatiya Party (JP) Chairman HM Ershad said on Monday although Sheikh Hasina came to power promising to provide the poor with rice at Tk10 per kg and job for youths at every house, she could not live up to her pledges.

"People are now buying rice at Tk 40-50 instead of Tk 10 while the unemployed youths haven't got jobs," he said.

The JP leader made the comments while addressing a function on the Jaldhaka Dak-Bungalow premises marking the joining of activists of different parties to Jatiya Party.

Ershad also claimed no development took place outside Dhaka during the tenure of the present government. "Only Dhaka has seen development."

Mentioning that he had constructed the Teesta Barrage, he said now the river has turned into a desert. "Cattle graze on the Teesta River."

The JP chief claimed people have got nothing other than torture, killing, forced disappearances and repression during the present government's tenure.

Earlier, over 100 activists of different parties joined Jatiya Party presenting bouquets to Ershad.