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Achievements of Jatiya Party Government
Under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad

· One of the most revolutionary steps of Ershad government was the establishment of the UpoZilla system which was regarded as a unique example of decentralisation of administration taking it to the door-steps of the people. Thana in Bangla means a police station responsible only for maintaining law and order. Ershad government converted 460 Thanas in rural Bangladesh into Upo Zilla in phases over a couple of years. It was not merely a change of name. Under the system the Upo Zilla became the nerve-centre of democratic process at the grass-root level. An elected representative of the people became the head of administration in the Upo Zilla - not the officer-in-charge of the police station. An Executive Officer of the government became the coordinator of all the departments located in the Upo Zilla. In each Upo Zilla a civil & criminal court was set up, officers of various departments of the government like education, agriculture, health and family planning, animal husbandry and livestock, forest and fishery and so on were posted to directly work for the welfare of the rural people. The system brought many salutary effects as in most cases the poor rural people were not required to come to the district headquarters. Placement of all departmental officers, doctors, engineers, specialists of various sectors made the Upo Zilla villages humming in activities of nation building. Development activities opened the doors for civil construction works, factories and industries, rural electrification, trade and business, roads/bridges and culverts etc. which acted as direct incentive to the rural people not to migrate to the cities as abundant job opportunities lay in their own villages. This unique system was disbanded by the BNP government of Khaleda Zia as soon as they came to power, only because this revolutionary system was introduced by Ershad. Of late good sense has prevailed Upon the Awami League government to reintroduce the Upo Zilla system. But in the last two and half years out of their 5-year term the Awami League has put their partymen in each and every place of public life. Therefore, Jatiya Party has taken a stand that it will not participate in the Upo Zilla elections unless it is held under a Caretaker Government which alone can ensure the impartiality of the elections.

Another epoch-making measure that Ershad and his government took was the decentralisation of 6 benches of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh to the Divisional Headquarters of the country. The move was unique in that the people were not compelled to come to the capital of the country for having justice from the High Court in Dhaka. It saved them from spending a hell of a lot of money as well as the botheration of coming to the capital for years together until the final dispensation of justice by the High Court was over. This also resulted in quick disposal of justice. Another benefit was that senior and meritorious advocates practising in the Divisional Headquarters could practise in the High Courts remaining in their own stations

In order to save unnecessary expenditure from the government exchequer Ershad government brought down the number of ministries from 42 to 26 only. Similarly, 155 Autonomous bodies were reduced to 109 for more efficient discharge of their functions and avoid duplication of responsibilities

By converting the Sub-divisions into districts Ershad government reduced the 5-tier administration into 3-tiers to establish administrative expediency

Annual food production in the country set a new record. While food production in 1971 was only about 10 million tonnes, during Ershad's time it rose to nearly 20 million tonnes. None died of starvation and hunger. Price of rice per kg was not more than Tk. 8.00 . While during the BNP rule the most coarse variety of rice sold between Tk. 11-14 per kg and that now under the Awami League Govt of Sheikh Hassina is selling at Tk. 17-18 per kg. While the fine variety of rice is now selling Tk. 30 per kg. Prices of essential food commodities like lentil, onion, edible oil, pepper etc. have risen by hundred to a few hundred percent during the rules of BNP and Awami League.

Ershad took the unique step to formulate a National Drug Policy in which out of 4,000 medicines 1707 unnecessary or harmful ones were banned. The drug policy was hailed by WHO and many countries of the world in Asia, Africa, Latin America etc. and they took it as a model for their Health Policy. Ershad government strengthened appropriate measures against drugs and smoking. Advertisement on smoking in the TV was banned and declared Bangabhaban (official residence of the President) was declared a non-smoking zone. Drug and Narcotic Board was recognized and highest punishment for keeping narcotics was life imprisonment

460 Health Complex were set up in the Upo Zilla. He modernised the Suhrawardi Heart Hospital and set up a Kidney ward in the Post Graduate Medical Centre. A labour hospital was set up in Dhaka. For treatment of drug addicts a centre was established in Gulshan.

Population growth in Bangladesh was 3.8 which during Ershad's rule was brought down to 2.3 in recognition of which he received the UN Population Award in 10th June 1987. Ershad also received the UN Environment Award for his positive measures taken for development of the environment of Bangladesh.

A revolutionary Land Reform Policy was declared and implemented in 1982 ameliorating the sufferings and hardship of the rural masses under centuries of old land administration system. Full details of the reforms are available on government records. 800,000 acres of fallow land were brought under government ownership and distributed among the landless poor of the country.

In order to save the rural poor from the clutches of dishonest traders "Rural Rationing" was introduced to check artificial price-hike of rice and wheat. As a result 14810 families in 4447 unions got the benefit of rural rationing which ensured that none remained without food or died of hunger. For the benefit of the agricultural farmers and rural small traders to have easy access to credit facilities, 48 branches of commercial banks were placed under Bangladesh Agricultural Bank

To rehabilitate the floating landless population under a programme called "Operation Address" some 12000 families were given land and homes in 460 UpoZilas all over the country setting up 5 cluster villages in each UpaZila.

In a historic Agricultural Farmers Convention on 7th October, 1986 Ershad declared the waiver of agricultural credit interest upto Tk. 10,000/- which amounted to a total of Tk. 6000 millions benefiting tens of thousands of rural farmers. He waived duty on irrigation and agricultural equipment. Debt Settlement Board was set up to mitigate the sufferings of the rural farmers in Bangladesh. These are considered as historic and revolutionary measures.

For the convenience and welfare of city duellers Ershad government planned 7 Flyovers in Dhaka City which never saw the light of the day under subsequent governments. Plans were also made for rehabilitation of the prostitutes through the NGOs. A multi-storied sweepers Colony was built in Dhaka including school for education of their children. At Ershad Nagar in Tongi thousands of floating population were rehabilitated allotting a small home for each family.

Ershad took revolutionary steps to improve the country's communication system. He was the real pioneer of Jamuna Bridge in the sense that he took such measures as collection of lavy to also build up some own resources which aroused the interest of donor agencies/countries to come forward and help build the project. Foundation Stone of Jamuna Bridge was laid by Hussain Muhammad Ershad on 1st February, 1988. Jamuna bridge today has connected the northern part of the country with the rest. Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge over the river Buriganga was built to connect the southern districts with the capital reducing the distance by about 100 miles. Road communication saw tremendous development all over the country. Building of roads, bridges, culverts took place all over the country. Rail communication was modernised and 46 inter-city fast trains were introduced .

For the underprivileged rootless children a Pathakali (wayside flowers) Trust was created and facilities made for their free education which was disbanded by the subsequent government because it was a noble act of Ershad

Ershad government first introduced Family Courts in each Upo Zilla for settling disputes between husband and wife in a country where the women have been the most neglected and oppressed. Strict laws were enacted to stop the dowry system. Death sentence became the punishment for acid throwing on women. 10-15% of jobs was reserved for women in government service. For girls in the rural areas education was made free up to the 8th grade.

For the rural women education was made free up to the 8th grade and books were distributed free of cost for the students up to the 5th grade. Primary education was made compulsory for all.

It was during Ershad's regime that export of garment from Bangladesh achieved the 5th place in the world. By government patronage a few thousand garment industries came into being providing employment for half a million women and men (ratio 80%-20%) and boosting export earnings all time high from year to year throughout 1982 to 1990

By identifying shrimp and prawn as a priority sector for export special facilities were offered for cultivation of shrimp and prawn in modern methods and boost its export specially from the coastal areas of Bangladesh. Export of shrimp rose all time high.

To ensure fair price of jute for the cultivators and save them from the clutches of the middle-men an amount of Tk. 3000 million was allocated by the government for purchase of the entire jute crops from the cultivators

For millions of handloom producers in the rural Bangladesh special facilities and incentives were given as a result of which this industry got a new life to cater to the needs of clothing for the rural poor

Under a programme "Water-front belongs to him who owns the fishing net" the fishermen got lease on cooperative basis of the rivers, ponds, canals etc. in the country and got loans on easy terms for purchase of nets, boats and other fishing equipment

In order to help boost industrialisation and foreign investment Ershad government created Bangladesh Investment Board (BOI). During 1982-1986 government permission was given for 9000 new industrial units and private investment amounted to over Tk. 6000 million.

NGO Affairs Bureau was also the creation of Ershad government functioning under direct supervision of the President. It gave a tremendous boost to NGO activities in the country.

In 1988 Bangladesh saw an unprecedented flood of the century. Ershad and his government handled the situation in a manner that created a history in the country's disaster management of relief operations and rehabilitation. Soon after that flood Dhaka-Narayanganj-Demra (DND) Embankment was built that saved ¾ of Dhaka city in the flood of 1998. Embankment on the eastern side was planned to protect Baridhara, Gulshan, Banani etc. which could not be completed as Ershad handed over power to a Caretaker government in December 1990

Ershad raised the world conscience to come forward and help Bangladesh in finding permanent solutions to national calamities like flood, cyclone etc. by moving the UN, EC, Commonwealth, World Bank, ADB, Group of 77, SAARC and many big countries of the world - so much so that the Secretary General of UN, heads of many international agencies and countries/governments visited Bangladesh to see for themselves how best they could help Bangladesh in such calamaties. But after Ershad it has been only tall talks and speeches but hardly any positive action taken to redress the sufferings of the victims as efficiently as they were handled by Ershad during such national calamities.

Widest tele-communication linkage was established with the remote rural areas and Nation Wide Direct dialing system introduced side by side with ISD telephone facility extended to 120 foreign countries of the world with Bangladesh

Milestones were set up in the exploration of oil, gas, coal etc. in Bangladesh and rural electrification took new wings in the remotest villages of the country. 11 natural gas drilling works were completed at various places in the country helping gas supply for industrial and domestic use.

In 1972 Savar National Memorial was named but in the next one decade nothing was done. Ershad completed the Memorial to honour the millions of freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the country. Half-done Bengali Language Martyrs Monument in memory of those who laid their lives in the language movement was completed. Martyrs Memorial for the intellectuals of the country who gave their lives during the liberation war was completed in Mirpur. Ershad also planned and completed the Independence Memorial at Mujib Nagar where the first government of Bangladesh was declared during the war of liberation.

In consideration of the fact that Bangladesh is a country inhabited by 85% Muslims Ershad took steps like declaration of Islam as the State Religion of Bangladesh, while safeguarding the rights of all other religions, declaration of Friday as weekly holiday in place of Sunday, payment of utility bills of all mosques from the government exchequer, setting up a Zakat Board, introduction of interest-free Islamic Bank, making Dinyat education compulsory for the Muslims up to the 10th grade. Separate trusts were formed for Hindu Temples, Buddhist Pagodas and all utility charges were waived for those prayer places of all religions.

For all these and many other revolutionary measures taken by Jatiya Party Government under Ershad, he was elected to the Parliament from jail twice in 1991 and 1996 capturing all the 5 seats - the maximum number one can contest in the National Assembly election, in spite of the fact that he contested in both the elections from the Central Jail being implicated in a number of false and fictitious cases. This bears eloquent testimony to the success of Ershad as a politician and an able and most efficient administrator Bangladesh has ever seen since the liberation of the country in 1971 taking into consideration all the heads of state and governments that have ruled this country till date.

President Ershad is remembered by the people with gratitude and lives in the hearts of his countrymen who in one voice agree that in terms of the country's development and welfare works Bangladesh has seen the most efficient and able leader in him and therefore they would like to see him back in power again