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JP leaders dived over vacant Rangpur-3 constituency nomination


Published : 20 Jul 2019 09:07 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 02:34 PM

After the death of Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, newly appointed JP Chairman GM Quader is facing difficulty in managing the party’s rank and file.

Rowshan Ershad, the dominating faction of JP, is not visibly cooperating with Quader, though Quader has accepted Rowshan Ershad as the opposition leader in parliament.     

The new feud has started centering nomination of candidate for the vacant Rangpur-3 constituency. Talking to the Bangladesh Post, some central leaders of the JP, which is now the formal main opposition party in parliament, said this exclusively.

Rowshan Ershad, wife of the party founder Ershad, who also became president at gun point against the then acting president justice Abdus Satter, is exerting her pressure in JP nomination board to nominate her son Shad Ershad.

But her rival leaders are opposing Shad Ershad to be a parliamentarian at the vacant seat of HM Ershad so early.

Shad was never seen in any party activities. He is busy with his business, said JP insiders.

According to a central joint secretary general of JP, Newly appointed Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader is secretly trying to give nomination to his wife Serifa Quader for fighting in the Rangpur-3 constituency.

Serifa is a vice-chairman of JP Central Committee. But she is more popular as a cultural activist rather than political leader.

Some family members and relatives of deceased HM Ershad is lobbying to provide JP ticket for Asif Shahriyar, who is son of HM Ershad’s another brother Mozzamel Hossain Lalu.

Asif is not currently holding any post in the party after he took part in the Rangpur City Corporation polls violating the decision of HM Ershad himself.

Using the issue, businessman Asiful Islam Joy, a joint secretary-general of the JP Central Committee, is also involved in hectic lobby to get party nomination.

But there some allegations against him.

Rowshan Ershad personally also does not like Joy for his several remarks against her.

Indicating Rowshan’s wish to be buried beside Ershad’s grave at Pally Nibas after her death, in a recent Facebook post Ariful Islam Joy said, no one but Ershad will be buried there.

Some section of JP leaders were in favour of burying Ershad in the capital. Rowshan Ershad was also supporting them. But some leaders led by Rangpur City Corporation Mayor Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa forced party high ups to burry party president at Pally Nibas. At that stage, Rowshan Ershad also requested Rangpur JP leaders to keep a place to bury her beside her husband HM Ershad at Pally Nibas.

But Asifur Islam Joy’s Facebook post of not allowing her burry at Pallly Nibas, made Rowshan extremely angry on him.

Party senior leaders however said at the final stage, both Rowshan Ershad and GM Quader will reach at a compromise over the issue of party nomination for the sake of party’s unity.

A joint secretary said, “Even after holding party’s central meeting on Saturday, GM Quader went to the residence of Rowshan Ershad and stayed there for three hours. They took lunch together. They discussed various issues including Rangpur-3 nomination.”

 HM Ershad was elected in the 30 December national polls from Rangpur-3 constituency. Election Commission declared the seat vacant after the Opposition leader died on Jul 14.

A gazette was issued by the Parliament Secretariat undersigned by its Secretary AYM Golam Kibria on July 16 in this regard.

The gazette will now be sent to the Election Commission and by-polls in the constituency will be held in next three month (in line with the Constitution), it reads.

A former military strongman, Ershad died at Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital on Jul 14 at the age of 89.