New chief eyes reforms to restore democracy in JP

---

Jatiya Party's (JP's) acting chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud simply wants 'more democracy' in the party and says getting the house in order and reforming the party are his main tasks.
The new JP supremo, often dogged by bitter controversy and rebellion, has drawn up a plan to practise more democracy: Curbing the all-powerful chairman's authority and establishing context for shared decision making, a transparent party fund and a corruption-free nomination process.
Mahmud, who recently took charge of the ailing but strategically important political platform, spelled out his future plan of action and other thoughts to the bdnews24.com in a telephone interview Friday.
A close aide to once omnipotent ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad, Mahmud proposed new paradigm of balance of power between the prime minister and the president.
Since the president is only a constitutional figurehead in the country's wobbling parliamentary democracy, Mahmud said: "A change is imminent."
He proposed more power to the president.
Since Tuesday when he got the new assignment from Ershad, Mahmud tried to make his position clear with words that he really wanted a democratic JP in the new reality under the current regime backed by the influential military.
During the announcement of his successor, Ershad also said he has no intention to run for the party's top post in the future.