Dhaka: Observing that the people of the country have lost their rights to freedom of speech, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Wednesday said they want to see true democracy in the country.

‘People have lost the rights to live…. They’ve lost the rights to speech and writings. There’s no freedom of expression in the country. People don’t want such democracy. They want to see true democracy is established in the country,’ he said.

Ershad, also a special envoy to the Prime Minister, was addressing a views-exchange meeting with leaders of Barguna district Jatiya Party at his Banani office in the city.

Alleging that the ruling party men are occupying the lands of minority communities, the JaPa chief said, ‘Although Hindu community people brought this government to power, their lands are being grabbed now by the government’s men. To whom will you seek justice?’

Deploring the slide in law and order, he said people are being killed in broad daylight while women are being raped and tortured but the perpetrators go unpunished.

Ershad, a former military ruler, claimed that the country’s people want to see Jatiya Party in power as there was no killing during his rule.

He urged his party leaders and activists to be united and work hard so that Jatiya Party can form government independently in the next election.

JaPa Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, among others, spoke on the occasion.