Senior leaders of opposition Jatiya Party ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Kazi Firoz Rashid, having lost their vital positions in the party, are trying to group to ensure supremacy, and thus become the party’s key decision makers in and outside parliament, party sources say.
Soon after the January 5 poll, Howlader, the secretary general, was replaced by Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu.
Relation between them were not cordial since Howlader was given the post of the party’s secretary general because as long as he had held this post, Bablu had been kept at bay.
Bablu was also considered as a third line leader and viewed by party activists as an agent of the ruling Awami League.
Things, however, began to change in favour of Bablu when the JaPa emerged as the opposition in parliament.
He lobbied for the secretary general’s post and was finally able to take over as the party’s second-in-command, replacing his long-standing rival Howlader.
Known as an agent of the BNP, the opposition in the last parliament, Firoz saw himself relieved of his position as president of the Dhaka city unit last month, after he had reportedly argued with party chairman HM Ershad over a conflict related to the deputy chief whip post.
The senior leader then tried to secure his post as chief whip of parliament, which was not entertained by Rawshan Ershad, the opposition leader. Firoz was also expecting a ministerial post in the government.
Tajul Islam Chowdhury was given the chief whip post, side-lining Firoz, party insiders said.
Rawshan sent a letter to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury last month, announcing Firoz as the deputy leader of parliament.
A day later, JaPa chief Ershad issued a statement that he is the sole authority to appoint the deputy leader in parliament as per the party’s charter, and that no one could be appointed as deputy leader in parliament without his consent.
Party MP sources say Howlader and Firoz are now forming an alternative group in order to gain a key hold in the party and in parliament.
The duo has so far communicated with over 40 MPs, out of which 30 have assured their support.
Party sources said they would now try to establish their claim of lack of confidence in Bablu and Tajul at the party’s Presidium meeting.
Seeking anonymity, a JaPa MP of a Sylhet constituency, told the Dhaka Tribune that Howlader had recently contacted him over this issue.
When questioned, Firoz told the Dhaka Tribune: “I am solely dedicated to the party, but the party chief does not want me as deputy leader of parliament. So I have requested sir [Ershad] to relieve me of all party posts.”
At an open meeting in front of the party’s central office in the capital last month, Ershad said he was aware of the grouping inside and requested all and sundry of the party to avoid this for the sake of the party’s betterment.
