C T Online Desk: The Jatiya Party faction led by chief patron Raushon Ershad has retreated from their decision to hold the party’s council session in November as the party chairman GM Quader faction takes strong measures against their counterpart.
“They [Raushon Ershad] are yet to come to any understanding with us,” GM Quader told the Daily Sun.
He said the Jatiya Sangsad Speaker has asked for time to appoint the leader of the opposition. “If the problem is not resolved, then we have the alternative option. Conspiracy has started to create division but still we are united.”
After a move to boycott the parliament by the Jatiya Party lawmakers led by GM Quader, the Raushon Ershad faction on Sunday night declared that the their council session scheduled to be held on November 26 will remain postponed until further announcement. The party insiders said GM Quader faction moved to boycott parliament in a bid to create pressure on the Raushon faction so that the latter retreats from its decision to hold the party’s council.
“Now the ball is in our court as most of the party lawmakers are with us. If Raushon madam doesn’t come to an understanding with GM Quader, then she will lose everything in the party,” a presidium member of Jatiya Party, loyal to GM Quader, told the Daily Sun wishing not to be named.
Jatiya Party insiders said except some dropped out leaders, maximum leaders and activists of the party have stood by GM Quader as they see no notable future with Raushon Ershad who has been suffering from old age complications for long.
Talking to the Daily Sun, Golam Mosih, political secretary of Raushon Ershad and member secretary of the Jatiya Party’s council preparatory committee, said, “We have postponed the council session to be held on November 26. We will announce the next date after completing our tasks.”
Asked about the return of Raushon Ershad, he said though she was scheduled to return home on October 29, she could not come as her doctor did not allow her to leave Bangkok. “Whenever her doctors will allow, she will return home. But there is no fixed schedule for her return.”
Jatiya Party leaders said the party lawmakers have joined the parliamentary session led by GM Quader after Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury has assured the opposition party of meeting its demand.
Jatiya Party on Sunday announced that they would boycott the parliament session until the Speaker takes a decision to elect party Chairman GM Quader as the Leader of the Opposition in parliament.
“With the assurance from the Speaker, Jatiya Party MPs would join the Jatiya Sangsad session,” said a party statement on Monday.
The party MPs joined the parliament and took part in the proceedings on the same day.
On October 30, the Jatiya Party’s Parliamentary Party at a meeting announced the boycott of parliament as the Speaker is yet to take any decision in this regard, meeting sources said.
The Jatiya Party has also sent a letter to the Speaker making the party’s co-chairman Kazi Feroj Rashid as chief whip of the main opposition in parliament. Earlier, GM Quader removed Ranga from the post of chief whip and the party’s primary membership on October 28.
“GM Quader has no authority to remove me from the post of chief whip. It is only jurisdiction of the opposition leader Raushan Ershad,” Ranga told the Daily Sun.
Talking to the Daily Sun, a presidium member of the Jatiya Party loyal to GM Quader said, “It may take some more time for appointment of GM Quader as the leader of the opposition. But Kazi Feroj Rashid will be chief whip. Postponing the council session by Raushan Ershad is our achievement for the sake of unity of our party.”
The Jatiya Party sources said the party has taken the decision that if GM Quader is made leader of the opposition, then the party’s senior co-chairman Annisul Islam Mahmud may be made deputy leader of the opposition.
Asked about the post of deputy leader of the opposition if GM Quader is made leader of the opposition, Jatiya Party secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu said, “After settling the issue of making GM Quader leader of the opposition, we will think about appointing deputy leader of the opposition.”
The internal conflict of Jatiya Party over different issues has deepened. GM Quader and Raushon Ershad, who is now staying in Bangkok for treatment, are at loggerheads over different issues, including leadership of the party.
After forming a convening committee of Jatiya Party, Raushon Ershad on August 31 announced that the party’s 10th council session would be held at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital on November 26.
After her announcement, Jatiya Party’s Parliamentary Party on September 1 handed over a letter to Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury requesting her to recognise GM Quader as the opposition leader.
The party also expelled Moshiur Rahman Ranga from all posts of the party on September 14 after he wrote to the Speaker that the letter was not submitted maintaining the proper procedure.
However, no decision has yet been taken about the request of the party chairman for the replacement of the opposition leader.
In a meeting of its presidium members and MPs with GM Quader in the chair, Jatiya Party on October 8 decided to expel its chief patron Raushon Ershad from the party if she moves to hold the council session.
