Former military ruler H M Ershad, who was ousted in a mass uprising on this day 23 years ago, has reemerged as a key player in Bangladesh's volatile politics by snubbing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with his decision to boycott the upcoming general elections.
The 83-year-old former president, whose Jatiya Party (JP) is a key ally of the Awami League-led grand alliance, returned to limelight three days ago when he announced his party would stay way from the January 5 polls due to lack of a proper atmosphere.
Ershad's dramatic shift compounded the problems the interim government led by Hasina at a time when the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has also announced it will boycott the polls.
Political analysts had earlier said the JP, seen as the country's third major party in terms of popular support, was likely to appear as the main opposition if the elections were held without the BNP's participation.
But they now say polls without the JP could lead to a crisis of legitimacy.
In a sudden announcement this week, Ershad backed off from the polls and ordered party nominees in 300 constituencies to withdraw their candidatures. Six JP leaders, who are minister in Hasina's cabinet, two being his wife Raushan and brother G M Quader, were ordered by Ershad to quit.
Ershad gained considerable media coverage when he threatened to commit suicide after police besieged his residence on December 3, apparently to mount pressure on him to reverse his decisions.
Officials said it was a move to ensure Ershad's "own security" in view of the evolving situation and political violence.
"I have loaded four pistols...I told the government I will kill myself if they play any tricks with me," an angry Ershad told newsmen on December 4.
Ershad had assumed power in a bloodless coup in 1982 and was forced to quit in 1990 in the face of a massive public uprising jointly led by Hasina and her archrival BNP chief Khaleda Zia. In subsequent years, they visibly wanted the deposed dictator to be their side to benefit from his popular support.
But Awami League eventually enjoyed his support with the JP joining it in governments formed after the 1996 and 2008 elections.
The BNP has cautiously welcomed Ershad's latest announcements. But senior Awami League leaders told the media to wait for Ershad's "last word" about the polls as in the past few weeks he had shifted twice his stance - once declining to contest without BNP's participation and later revising his decision "in the interest of democracy".
Speculation has mounted as several JP ministers held closed door meetings with Hasina and instead of offering their resignations to the premier, handed over the resignation letters to Ershad to be submitted to President Abdul Hamid.
Legal experts said under the Constitution a minister must submit the resignation only to the premier and the president was unlikely to receive their resignation letters unless those were forwarded by the premier.
