Hints of drama in JaPa ahead of parliament elections

The news that Raushan Ershad has taken over as chairman of the Jatiya Party (JP), the opposition in parliament, has created a sensation within the party. However, several senior leaders of the party, including JaPa general secretary, said that no such incident had taken place. The news about Raushan Ershad taking over as chairman is “false”. However, Raushan Ershad did not say anything about this.

Many of the leaders and activists of the party are considering this incident as the beginning of yet another drama in the main opposition party in parliament ahead of the upcoming national elections. Especially when JaPa chairman GM Quader is on a tour of India, a sudden press release in Raushan’s name has given birth to many questions in and outside the party.

Many say that the statement has been denied for strategic reasons, but in reality, this is not the last word. Such activities are present in the party. In the coming days, factionalism over party leadership and authority will become more visible. In particular, a lot will depend on the stand of GM Quader regarding the election, said the people concerned.

GM Quader is scheduled to return home on Wednesday after a four-day visit to India. His visit is being considered as an important one.

A press release of Raushan Ershad taking over as JP chairman came to the media around noon on Tuesday. The statement, signed by Raushan on the letterhead pad of the Jatiya Party, said, “I... announce that I have accepted the responsibility of party chairman in the interest of maintaining the momentum of the party after the advice and decision of the senior leaders of the party.”

In that two-and-a-half-line statement, Raushan Ershad mentioned herself as the founding co-chairman of JaPa and leader of the opposition in parliament. A person named Kazi Lutful Kabir provided this statement in a WhatsApp group called ‘Press Note (JaPa)’. Lutful Kabir has been circulating speeches and statements of Raushan Ershad and the leaders of her side in this WhatsApp group for a long time. Along with this statement, the minutes of the meeting regarding the decision to appoint Raushan as chairman and a photograph bearing the signatures of five co-chairmen and one presidium member were also posted.

A few hours after the news was published in the media, three leaders including JaPa secretary general Mujibul Haque claimed this statement as “false”. JaPa secretary general, party co-chairman Syed Abu Hossain and presidium member Shafiqul Islam gave separate statements and video messages in this regard. In the messages sent to the media, they said that GM Quader is the chairman of JaPa. The party is united under his leadership.

In a statement and video message, the JaPa secretary general said, according to the party constitution, no one can dismiss the chairman at will. No one can do anything outside the party’s constitution. Jatiya Party leaders and workers are united under the leadership of GM Quader. Some people expelled from the Jatiya Party are circulating false news using Madam’s (Raushan Ershad) name. No such thing has happened and there is no chance of it happening.

Mujibul Haque also urged everyone not to be misled by the false news.
Jatiya Party leaders and workers immediately protested this press release using Raushan Ershad’s name as a “conspiracy” against the party. The demonstration was held in front of the party chairman’s office in Banani in the capital on Tuesday afternoon.

However, this is not the first time that Raushan Ershad has declared herself as the chairman of JaPa. At least three times, including the latest one, she declared herself the chairman of the party. JaPa founding chairman General Ershad died on 14 July, 2019. Since his demise, GM Quader has been serving as the chairman of the party. On 5 December, 2019, Raushan held a press conference and announced herself as the chairman of JaPa. Anisul Islam Mahmud and Mujibul Haque were with her at that time.

On the other hand, another faction of JaPa declared GM Quader as the legitimate chairman and held a counter press conference. Ziauddin Bablu, Mashiur Rahman alias Ranga and many others were in favour of this. Later, the two sides reached an agreement.

Then on 15 January, 2020 Raushan Ershad sent a press release to the media appointing 16 leaders to the party with his son Saad Ershad as co-chairmen. However, GM Quader did not accept the appointments. Apart from this, on 31 August last year, Raushan announced the JaPa conference convening committee by declaring herself as convenor while undergoing treatment in Bangkok. There was extreme chaos in the party with this. The matter went to court. GM Quader was also prevented from serving as party chairman for three months due to the court’s temporary ban.

Then Raushan Ershad met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 13 December that year. The next day on the night of 14 December, Raushan Ershad was announced as acting chairman of JaPa by party leaders of her faction.

Party sources say that every time the statement or press release sent to the media is denied. However, this time Raushan Ershad did not make any counter statement regarding the press release about taking over the duties of the chairman. Several attempts were made to talk to her about this. She was also sent a short message on her mobile phone but she did not respond. However, Raushan Ershad’s political secretary Golam Masih told Prothom Alo on Tuesday evening that this is a false statement. Someone might have done it to create confusion.

According to a source close to Raushan Ershad, the leaders following the lead of Raushan Ershad are denying the statement due to strategic reasons. Because, there has been a negative response from the government circles with the “untimely” disclosure of Raushan’s position. Almost immediately after this negative reaction, the leaders responded with statements and video messages.

JaPa co-chairman Kazi Feroz Rashid told Prothom Alo, “When the elections are near, such conspiracies start taking place. We have been facing such predicaments and coping with this since the beginning. The nearer the elections, the more the problem will occur. We are careful about these things.”

However, every time the election comes, all sorts of activities crop up in the Jatiya Party. There is no exception this time as well.

* The report was originally published in the print edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Syed Faiz Ahmed