A back-and-forth between the top leaders of the Jatiya Party, which is currently the main opposition in parliament, has become a common occurrence in the politics of Bangladesh, especially before a parliamentary election.
As in the months ahead of the general elections of 2014 and 2018, the leadership drama of the Jatiya Party resurfaced Tuesday with the dissemination of a press release that claimed Raushan Ershad had declared herself chairperson of the party even as current chief GM Quader is on a visit to India.
Raushan Ershad has rubbished the reports of her declaring herself as chairperson, saying she had just become chairperson of the party’s conference preparation committee.
Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu has also said that the press release was fake news.
“I have spoken to all the co-chairmen of the Jatiya Party who have been named in the fake statement. The co-chairs said they did not assist in or sign any such notification,” he said.
He claimed some ousted leaders of the Jatiya Party used Raushan Ershad’s name to tarnish her image.
Party insiders said the Jatiya Party had been split between followers of late founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad and those of his wife, Raushan Ershad. Following HM Ershad’s death, the majority of his faction began supporting his brother GM Quader.
The dispute between Raushan and GM Quader
The dispute between these two top leaders over the control of the party has been going on for a long time.
HM Ershad named his brother GM Quader acting chairman of the Jatiya Party on May 4, 2019. Earlier, on March 23, 2019, he picked Raushan Ershad, then-senior co-chairman of the party, as the deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, relieving GM Quader from the position..
Four days after the death of HM Ershad, GM Quader was declared party chairman on July 18 , 2019.
On July 23 that year, Raushan, along with seven MPs and two Presidium members, issued a statement refusing to accept GM Quader as party chairman.
New Japa Chairperson before the election?
GM Quader left for Delhi on August 20 with his wife Sharifa Quader and Mashroor Mawla of the party's advisory council.
On August 19, Raushan Ershad met with Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at her residence. The meeting fanned rumours on the Jatiya Party leadership issue.
JaPa insiders said GM Quader took charge of the party through a conference, but his tenure has expired and he is now serving an expired term.
They added that it is the chairperson’s responsibility to call a party conference in due time.
A leader, who is a follower of Raushan, said: "There is an attempt to change the leadership by holding a party conference before the national elections."
He added that there may be more developments in the near future.
