Strife spirals in JaPa

As the elections draw nearer, the internal conflict in Jatiya Party (JaPa) surrounding GM Quader and Raushan Ershad is worsening.

Sources said that this dispute within the main opposition party JaPa in the Jatiya Sangsad emerged over the control of the party. This conflict is being regulated from outside the party ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections. As a result, many of the leaders of the party believe it is very unlikely that this issue will be resolved.

Several senior leaders of JaPa told Prothom Alo that the conflict between the two parties regarding the party's authority, committee formation and candidacy may become more public in the future. Although the majority of the leaders and workers are with the party chairman GM Quader, another faction supporting Raushan Ershad have become active with the election ahead. Many others are balancing both sides.

The leaders and activists of different levels of JaPa said, many of them have the impression that the division surrounding elections will continue as it was during the term of the party's founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad. If GM Quader takes an anti-government stand for any reason during the 12th parliament elections, the party led by Raushan Ershad will take a counter stance. The leader of the opposition party in the parliament, Raushan Ershad, has publicly said several times that she would always stay with the government.

Many of the leaders of the party have said at various times that there are many questions about the 2014 and 2018 national elections. In the two elections, JaPa had to participate given its relationship with the government. The importance of JaPa will once again soar if BNP does not participate in the next elections. Considering that possibility, many former and current leaders of JaPa are maintaining contact with Raushan Ershad with the hope to becoming members of parliament. Many JaPa leaders believe that Raushan Ershad is more trustworthy than GM Quader. This lack of trust grew stronger after the situation faced by GM Quader in running the party.

After the suspension of the court ban, GM Quader can now continue the party activities, but the crisis within the party has not ended.

However, one of JaPa's co-chairmen, Kazi Firoz Rashid, told Prothom Alo that he was not aware of any conflict in the party. However, there may be some differences regarding the next election which cannot create division in the party. He said, the time has not come yet to disclose the party’s plan regarding the national elections. JaPa will make the right decision no matter what.

According to the responsible sources of JaPa, supporters of Raushan Ershad, after being dormant for some time, have now become active to organise the council. The council preparatory committee held a meeting on 23 April. Raushan’s son and party central joint secretary general Rahgir Al Mahi Saad Ershad was the chief guest at the meeting. As per the decision in the meeting it was announced to form a committee by next June and draft a list of possible candidates for the next parliamentary elections.

In the meantime, the pro-Raushan leaders have formed council preparation committees of 42 districts. Most of the members of these committees are deserters or expelled leaders, though. It is said that many former leaders who were away from politics for a long time have also been kept in the committees.

Raushan Ershad addressed a JaPa leader's meeting in Manikganj to exchange views, joining in virtually on 27 April. There she said, "Candidates will be nominated in the future by evaluating their qualifications."

The followers of GM Quader believe that efforts are being made to include Raushan supporters in the party positions by creating pressure through these activities including the announcement of the district committee.

According to an official source of JaPa, Raushan Ershad recently sent a list of 24 leaders to party chairman GM Quader and asked them to be included in the party ranks. Among them are Raushan's political secretary Golam Masih, Ziaul Haque Mridha, Masiur Rahman and Kazi Mamunur Rashid, who were expelled from the party.

In this regard, a co-chairman of JaPa told Prothom Alo on Saturday that the names sent by the opposition leader, Raushan Ershad, are accused in one way or another in the party. Even if the party chairman takes them into the party using special authority, he will have to face questions.

Ziaul Haque Mridha, the expelled leader and former MP of the party, filed a case against GM Quader as the chairman of the party in the first joint district judge court of Dhaka on 30 October. In that case, the court issued a temporary restraining order to prevent GM Quader from taking any kind of party decision and carrying out his duties. He abstained from political activities for about three months. Later, when a High Court rule suspended the ban, he became active in politics again. However, it is known from the party sources that he is still under various pressures. Amid this, the Raushan supporters are using the official letterhead and address of the Jatiya Party to release statements and notices in the name of the party. They are making new decisions as well.

GM Quader commented that this division of JaPa is "imposed by a vested quarter". He told Prothom Alo that no government wants Jatiya Party to be strong. They benefit if the Jatiya Party is weak. But those who became part of the conspiracy to weaken their own party are doing so without realising its consequences. Eventually they will perish.