Eric Ershad, the younger son of (JaPa) founder General HM Ershad, on Tuesday said he is in a financial crisis as he is not getting any money from the Trust his father formed for him.
“I’m an orphan; I lost my father. I’m not getting any money from the Trust my father had formed for me. So, I’m leading a miserable life due to financial hardship,” he said.
Physically challenged, Eric went on to say that the Trust is being embezzled and “I’m feeling very helpless.”
He was briefing the media from his paternal house “Palli Nibash” in Rangpur town in the evening.
Ershad's ex-wife and Eric’s mother Bidisha Siddique was standing nearby while Eric was accompanied by Shahjada Miah, a caretaker of their Dhaka residence.
Eric said he came to Rangpur on Tuesday morning to offer ziyarat (prayers) to his father’s grave. Later he visited Palli Bandhu Ershad Cold Storage in the city’s Mahiganj area.
“Once I reached there, several people verbally abused me and my mother. As we tried to enter the facility, they obstructed us and threatened dire consequences,” he claimed.
According to him, no income was given to him from the cold storage in the last two years.
“They are misappropriating all the money,” said Eric, adding that they were reported to the police.
“We’ll take legal measures (in this regard),” he said.
Asked about the factional feud between Raushan Ershad and GM Quader, Eric declined to make any comment.
Bidisha’s statement
After Eric’s speech, his mother joined the press conference and said: “Ershad established the Trust for her only son. It was named Hussein Muhammad Ershad Trust.”
Other than Palli Nibash and the cold storage in Rangpur, General Ershad left behind many properties including in Dhaka.
“The committee for the Trust has expired. Those assigned in that committee are not handing over their responsibilities,” she alleged.
Stating that no money was being given to Eric from the Trust, she said her son was passing a testing time.
“His normal life is being badly affected. Despite repeated urges, nobody is handing over their responsibilities to Eric,” Bidisha said.
Citing verbal abuse and non-cooperation by those tasked with looking after the cold storage, she said: “We went there today only to be castigated and physically harassed.
“However, local police helped us. We’ll take legal action upon reaching Dhaka.”
Bidisha said: “I’ll update GM Quader about it since he is Eric’s uncle. Let’s see what he does.”
Like Eric, Bidisha also ducked the question over the dispute between Ershad’s other widow Raushan and brother GM Quader.
“No comments on political affairs,” she said.
On November 22, 2019, Eric accused his uncle GM Quader of trying to bar him from entering his own house in Baridhara if he stepped out of it once.
At that time, Bidisha alleged that GM Quader tortured Eric because of his greed for the property.
In January last year, the Trust’s chairman, Kazi Mamunur Rashid, said Eric was not safe with Bidisha.
