The Election Commission has launched an investigation into Jatiya Party (JaPa) chief HM Ershad’s complaint against the break-away JaPa faction that was formed by late Kazi Zafar Ahmed.
Ershad, in a letter sent to the commission last month, had objected to the fact that TIM Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury, who took over Zafar’s faction after his death in 2015, had been identifying himself as the acting chairman of Jatiya Party and making statements in the media in “an evil attempt to create confusion among people”.
He also claimed that Chowdhury’s actions were smearing the image of JaPa, which is currently the main opposition in parliament, and urged the commission to take necessary preventative measures.
The commission on Tuesday ordered the senior district election officer of Dhaka to investigate the matter and submit his findings within 10 working days.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad had sent the letter to the chief election commissioner on September 11.
The former military dictator’s JaPa is 12th political party registered with the Election Commission.
Ershad in his letter also urged the commission to take actions following the laws and ensure that no one else can use his party’s name.
Kazi Zafar Ahmed, a JaPa leader for over three decades and a former prime minister in Ershad's government from 1989 to 1990, was expelled by the JaPa chairman in November 2013.
He then formed a party of the same name, with a break-away faction, and joined the BNP-led alliance in January 2014.
After his death in August 2015, Fazle Rabbi Chowdhury had become the acting chairman of that faction and Mostofa Jamal Haider secretary general.
However, Election Commission officials said this Jatiya Party faction was not registered as a political party and they had not applied for registration.
Thursday, June 04, 2026
