The Ershad-led Jatiya Party has apparently divided into two groups over the appointment of deputy leader of the opposition in parliament, party’s grass-roots leaders say.
Former president HM Ershad is now leading a group while another group is following the instructions of his wife Rawshan Ershad, also leader of the opposition in parliament.
The conflict had begun to surface since the national election held on January 5, creating feud between the party activists.
Ershad, the chairman of Jatiya Party, is now at loggerheads with his wife over the party activities.
Rawshan Ershad on July 27 sent a letter to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury to appoint Kazi Feroz Rashid as deputy leader of the opposition in parliament.
But on August 7, Ershad issued a statement, saying that his party was yet to take the decision to appoint anyone as the deputy leader of the opposition.
Earlier, JaPa presidium member Kazi Feroz Rashid was acting as the president of the old committee. Centring the issue of deputy leader, Ershad removed him from his poet and appointed Syed Abu Hossain Babla as new president.
Through a statement, the JaPa chief announced the new committee, dissolving the old one.
The decision was made as per section 39 of the party charter, the statement said.
But Ershad’s younger brother GM Quader is now inactive in party activities centring the conflicts between Ershad and Rawshan, said party insiders.
Kazi Feroz Rashid told the Dhaka Tribune: “Our party chief does not want to see me in the party activities. In such a situation, I think the party activities cannot be properly carried out by me. For this reason, I told the party chief to cancel my post.”
Party insiders said the decision was made following recent conflicts between Ershad and his wife Rawshan Ershad.
Currently, 30 out of 34 MPs are carrying out Rawshan’s order and the rest and grass-roots leaders are doing party work at Ershad’s instructions.
“The party has divided into two factions while some are following Rawshan and some are following Ershad.
To keep the party on the right track, the decision should be taken in time,” said JaPa Noakhali district leader Mobarak Hossain Azad.
According to party sources, Ershad has now lost control over the party. His wife Rawshan Ershad took the control of the party after the 10th parliamentary election was held on January 5.
Party’s Secretary General Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu said: “Our party is facing some internal problems, but we are not divided into factions. We are trying to reorganise the party.”
He said the 30 MPs do not mean Jatiya Party. “It is a party of crores of people. I am all in all of JaPa,” he said.
Acknowledging the crisis being faced by JaPa, Ershad said, “It is not a major crisis.”
He also warned that his party would take to the streets and announce new programmes against the government.
