A co-chairman of Raushan Ershad's Jatiya Party, Md Shafiqul Islam (Sentu) has resigned. He tended in his resignation in the afternoon yesterday, Monday, to the party chairman Raushan Ershad.
Shafiqul Islam had been made co-chairman at the council of the pro-Raushan faction held last Saturday at the Engineers' Institution in the capital. He resigned the very next day after this separate council held under the leadership of Raushan Ershad.
Referring to being made co-chairman at the council, Shafiqul Islam said in this resignation letter, "It will not be possible for me to carry such an important responsibility because of certain family obligations, health complications and, above all, my duties and responsibilities towards the people of my constituency. In consideration of the above, I hereby resign from the post of co-chairman."
When asked if he had resigned from the post of co-chairman or from the party, Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo, "I am no longer a part of Jatiya Party politics. I will give time to the people of my area."
Shafiqul Islam is the councilor of Dhaka South City Corporation ward 31 in Mohammedpur. He had been a member of the GM Quader-led Jatiya Party. He had wanted to be the candidate of the GM Quader-led Jatiya Party from Dhaka-13, as part of the "understanding" in the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election. But he was not included in the 26 seats on the Jatiya Part list.
There had been friction between Shafiqul Islam and a few members of Raushan Ershad's party, including the secretary general. And that is the reason behind his resignation
In retaliation, Shafiqul Islam brought about various allegations against the Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader and secretary general Mujibul Huq. As a result, he was expelled from the party. He later played a role in holding the council under Raushan Ershad's leadership and in forming the new Jatiya Party.
On Saturday this Jatiya Party's committee was formed with Raushan Ershad as the chairman and Kazi Firoz Rashid as executive chairman. Kazi Mamunur Rashid was made secretary general of the party, Syed Abu Hossain Babla senior co-chairman, as Saidur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Saad Ershad, Golam Sarwar and Sunil Shubho Roy co-chairmen.
Sources within Raushan Ershad's Jatiya Party have said that there had been friction between Shafiqul Islam and a few members of Raushan Ershad's party, including the secretary general. And that is the reason behind his resignation, the sources said.