State Minister for LGRD Moshiur Rahman Ranga and Opposition Chief Whip Tajul Islam Chowdhury have turned to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, apparently seeking her intervention.
They took the move as Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad yesterday relieved the two presidium members of their positions for opposing him.
Soon after the House went into recess for Magrib prayers, the two Jatiya Party MPs --Moshiur Rahman and Tajul Islam-- rushed to the premier and briefed her on Ershad’s action against them.
The two MPs have sided with opposition leader Rawshan Ershad and took position against Ershad who wanted the Jatiya Party MPs to resign from the cabinet.
At the meeting of the parliamentary party on August 31, Moshiur Rahman verbally attacked Ershad who once called him a son. He instead asked Ershad to resign first.
Besides, the two MPs have been working under the leadership of Rawshan Ershad in the nomination of Kazi Feroz Rashid as the deputy leader of the opposition. But Ershad opposes the nomination.
“He (Ershad) has dropped me and Ranga,” Tajul Islam told the prime minister who was gossiping with the lawmakers hardly 10 metres off the press gallery.
“He has sent the paper on stripping us off the posts. The television channels have been giving scrolls,” Tajul added.
Both of them told the premier that the committees of their districts (Rangpur and Kurigram) had also been dissolved.
Kazi Feroz and Ruhul Amin Howlader joined them and talked to the prime minister, though briefly.
The prime minister gave them a patient hearing, apparently showing some sympathy for them.
The Awami League MPs, who were eager to talk to the prime minister, stood 10 yards away. Chief Whip ASM Feroz and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal MP Shirin Akter accompanied the prime minister.
Ershad and his wife have been in the opposite direction since the announcement of the schedules for the January 5 polls.
Ershad first announced participating in the polls the BNP boycotted. He later made a U-turn, asking the Jatiya Party candidates to withdraw their candidature.
But a section of MPs led by Rawshan Ershad challenged him and contested the polls. The government held Ershad captive in a hospital in the pretext of illness until the election took place.
Ershad was elected MP from the so-called captivity, but the post of the opposition leader went to Rawshan Ershad who would maintain very good relations with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Jatiya Party insiders say Ershad has been trying to establish his grip on the party. As part of his move, he dropped the two from the council of presidium and put pressure on Rawshan Ershad.
