Unrest in JaPa, Raushan group cornered

Discontent mounts among senior leaders of Jatiya Party (JaPa) following the announcement of GM Quader as the party’s future chairman and acting chairman during the chairman HM Ershad’s illness.

Also, questions have arisen about the press briefing held on Saturday midnight when the announcement was made.

The leaders, though, are not directly expressing their displeasure to HM Ershad, who is the elder brother of GM Quader.

Incidentally, GM Quader was removed from the position of co-chairman and from his organisational duties on 22 March.

JaPa chairman Ershad called a press conference at his residence and declared GM Quader as future chairman and acting chairman of the party while giving him several organisational responsibilities.

“It is nothing new for HM Ershad to create such drama. We have to wait for a while to know whether his midnight announcement was also just a drama,” a senior JaPa leader told Prothom Alo.

Pointing to Ershad’s vulnerable physical condition, a number of senior leaders said he was struggling even to sign official letters for the party.

And that is why the party chairman wanted to see his brother settled within the party, leading him to make the announcement to ensure that GM Quader did not face any challenge within the party itself, the leaders said, explaining Ershad’s decision.

This decision regarding GM Quader has somewhat cornered supporters of Raushan Ershad within the party while a faction of senior leaders claimed that Ershad was infleunced into making the announcement.

JaPa presidium member and MP Fakhrul Imam, known to be a Raushan follower, termed the matter as ‘inhuman’, adding, “This is no crisis in politics. This announcement could have been made the next morning.”

Then again, GM Quader told Prothom Alo that Ershad made at least three phone calls asking him over to his house and then made his announcement at the a press conference.

In January 2016, Ershad made wife Raushan the senior co-chairman, following reaction within the party when he made GM Quader co-chairman.

After the recent reinstatement of GM Quader, Raushan’s followers became active suddenly. At the time, the followers of GM Quader had guarded the Ershad’s Baridhara residence Raushan’s followers could not meet the party chairman.

GM Quader took over charge as acting chairman.

During the press conference told media , Ershad instructed him to conduct organisational activities for the next council as well as the daily affairs of the party as acting chairman.

He sought everyone’s support and cooperation.

Many of the senior leaders avoided him after GM Quader was made acting chairman and deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, according to party leaders.

No senior leader except the party’s joint secretary general Hasibur Rahman was present when the announcement of GM Quader as acting chairman was made on Saturday night.

Hasibur has been seen working at Banani’s office and Ershad’s residence more after the reinstatement of GM Quader.

“The party office is like a nucleus. It’s not a government office that everyone will be present in a meeting. They come when they are invited for meetings and seminars,” GM Quader told the media on Sunday’s press briefing.

In reply to a question of media, he said, “I will not completely deny the unrest in the party. It is the same in all political parties.”

JaPa leaders think that Ershad’s announcement is basically a message to wife Raushan Ershad and her followers that GM Quader is the future leader of the Jatiya Party. In this announcement, the senior co-chairman of the party, Raushan Ershad, virtually lost her position. Apart from this, another complexity may also arise in parliament for the declaration of GM Quader as a future chairman.

Currently HM Ershad is the opposition leader in the parliament and his wife Raushan Ershad deputy leader. The question of who will be leader of the opposition in parliament in Ershad’s asence may create a family feud.The matter remains volatile.

On condition of anonimity, a Raushan follower said, “As long as Ershad is alive, Jatiya Party will run in his way. There will be a lot of changes in his absence.”