Rift in Jatiya Party over top leadership

Following the death of Jatiya Party’s life-long chairman Hussain Muhammad Ershad, conflict between GM Quader and Raushan Ershad comes to the fore about who would lead the party.

JaPa senior co-chairman Raushan Ershad, also wife of former military general Hussain Muhammad Ershad, in a media statement on Tuesday said she does not consider GM Quader as party chairman.

Raushan sent the statement on the pad of leader of the opposition in parliament as JaPa announced Golam Muhammad (GM) Quader as the chairman of the party on 18 July.

Hussain Muhammad Ershad died at Combined Medical Hospital, Dhaka on 14 July.

After the announcement made from the party chairman’s office in city’s Banani, GM Quader said, “There’s no conflict in the Jatiya Party. The party is united.”

The party elected GM Quader chairman unanimously, media reports said.

Contesting the decision, however, Raushan said opinions of JaPa presidium members were not taken before announcing GM Quader. “That’s why GM Quader is still an acting chairman.”

In the statement, Raushan said she learned about the decision of making GM Quader as JaPa chairman from media reports. But the matter was not discussed in any proper forum, the statement claimed.

Ershad made his younger brother GM Quader acting chairman of the party in May.

She also called on the “acting chairman” to carry out his duties until the next chairman is elected.

Raushan also said many senior leaders of the party also said so to her. She mentioned names of nine party leaders. They are -- presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud MP, Fakhrul Imam, Selim Osman, Nasrin Jahan Ratna, Masuda M Rashid Chowdhury, presidium members Mir Abdus Sabur Asud and Delwar Hossain and Raushan Ara Mannan MP and Liakat Hossain Khoka.

GM Quader, however, termed the statement as “not believable and unacceptable.”

“The statement is hand-written. This is not believable and acceptable,” he told the newsmen at the party’s Banani office in Dhaka this afternoon.

“There’s no conflict in the Jatiya Party over the leadership. The party is working on its political activities unanimously,” he added.

JaPa adviser Ashraf Ud-Daula, vice chaiman Dewaan Ali, Mostakur Rahman Mostak, and joint general secretary Hasibul Islam Joy were present during Quader’s briefing at theBanani office.