Jatiya Party-JP Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju said, 'This country was created through the Liberation War. We brought our country to a certain position after going through many ups and downs. Today, everyone talks about everything, but no one talks about the Liberation War and independence.

He made these remarks at the 10th National Council of the Jatiya Party organized at the Emmanuel Community Center in Gulshan, Dhaka, on Saturday.

Anisul Islam Mahmud was elected as the Chairman of the Jatiya Party by the votes of nearly 3,000 councilors from all over the country at the party's 10th National Council today. ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader was elected as the Secretary General of the Jatiya Party. In addition, Kazi Firoz Rashid was elected as the Senior Co-Chairman and Md. Mujibul Haque Chunnu was elected as the Executive Chairman.

In his speech as the chief guest, Anwar Hossain Manju said, "Now the government is saying that reforms need to be done. We haven't done reforms. Education policy, medicine policy, upazila system - all these were part of the reforms. Now people have to be hired from abroad for reforms. How will they reform? They can propose reforms. But to implement it, an elected parliament will be needed. There is talk of elections. But how will the elections be held, whether there will be elections at all - I don't know. Besides, in the current environment in the country, is there a need for elections? If seats are shared between the two major parties, two thousand crore taka will be saved in the election expenses."

Anwar Hossain Manju said, "Encroachments are happening all over the country. Houses are being occupied, shops are being occupied, markets are being occupied, encroachments are happening everywhere. There is no harm in following the rules and regulations. There is no visible initiative from the government to stop all this."

In his welcome speech, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader said, "We will take the Jatiya Party to the common people. We will restore the dignity of the grassroots. The Jatiya Party, founded by Pallibandhu Hussain Muhammad Ershad, is not the sole property of anyone, this party will be on the streets in the movement to protect the hopes and rights of the people. We want to show the people of the country a new path. The Jatiya Party is no longer just an opposition force; we want to become the alternative leadership of the nation. The leadership that will work to implement Pallibandhu Ershad's dream to change the fate of the common people."

He said, "Through today's conference, I take an oath to break the divisions in the Jatiya Party and build Pallibandhu Ershad's Jatiya Party on a new journey." Today's council was held in accordance with the court order and constitutional procedure. From today, the Jatiya Party will not follow the words of any one person, the Jatiya Party will be run through joint leadership. From now on, there is no more fear of division in the Jatiya Party, rather, we will unite the fragmented Jatiya Parties under one umbrella and start working to realize Ershad's dream.

In the meeting, Md. Mujibul Haque Chunnu apologized to the countrymen for participating in illegal elections during the Awami League era. He said, "We did not do anything illegal by participating in the elections as a party. If there was any moral mistake, any blunder, then standing in this council, we apologize unconditionally to the countrymen on behalf of the Jatiya Party."

Chunnu said, "For the past four years, I have been the Secretary General of the Jatiya Party. I may have made mistakes. You will look at all the mistakes with a forgiving eye. As the Secretary General of the Jatiya Party, I will say one thing to the countrymen, we may not have always taken the right party decisions while doing politics. We have held many elections in the past. Many times, many people criticize us in various ways, calling us collaborators of different parties or collaborators of dictatorship."

Earlier in the morning, the council was inaugurated by playing the national and party anthems. Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud hoisted the national flag. Md. Mujibul Haque Chunnu hoisted the party flag. Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud presided over the inaugural discussion meeting of the first session. Jatiya Party-JP Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju spoke as the chief guest. ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader delivered the welcome speech. Md. Mujibul Haque Chunnu presented the organizational report.

Other speakers at the inaugural session included Kazi Firoz Rashid, Syed Abu Hossain Babla, Shahidur Rahman Tepa, ATU Taj Rahman, Solaiman Alam Seth, Nasrin Jahan Ratna, Nazma Akhtar, Liaquat Hossain Khoka, Mostafa Al Mahmud, Masrur Maula, Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan, Arifur Rahman, Nurul Islam Milon, Ziaul Haque Mridha, Khan Israfil Khokon. Jatiya Party-JP Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) Presidium Member Didarul Alam Didar, and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Matin) Secretary General Zafar Ahmed Joy.

Later, in the second session of the council, the convener of the three-member election commission formed by the Jatiya Party, Md. Zahirul Islam Zahir, announced the names of Anisul Islam Mahmud as the elected chairman and ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader as the secretary general. The other members of the commission are Mustafa Al Mahmud and Arifur Rahman Khan.