Raushon finally made opposition leader; GM Quader her deputy

Jatiya Party Senior Co-Chairman Raushon Ershad has been recognized as the Leader of Opposition in Parliament while its Chairman GM Quader as her deputy.

Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury gave them the recognition, according a circular issued by the parliament secretariat in this regard on Monday. Reports UNB.

Senior secretary Zafar Ahmed Khan issued the circular a day after GM Quader handed over a letter to the Speaker of Parliament in this regard.

The post of the Leader of the Opposition fell vacant following the death of Jatiya Party founding Chairman HM Ershad’s on July 14.

In the wake of a series of dramas, Jatiya Party on Sunday decided that Quader will be the party’s Chairman and HM Ershad’s wife Raushon Ershad will be made the Leader of the Opposition in parliament.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Jatiya Party Parliamentary Board at the Sangsad Bhaban.

However, the party did not disclose their decision about the deputy opposition leader.

Amid conflicts over the post of party chairman and leader of the opposition, the leaders loyal to both GM Quader and Raushon had a meeting on Saturday night reached a consensus to keep the party united accepting GM Quader as its Chairman and Raushon Ershad the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.

On Tuesday, GM Quader sent a letter to the Speaker for officially recognizing him as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament.

A day later, Raushon Ershad wrote to the Speaker not to accept GM Quader’s letter, exposing a conflict in the party.

Earlier on Thursday, a group of Jatiya Party leaders announced HM Ershad’s widow Raushon Ershad its chairperson, putting the party on the verge of a split.

The party leaders, Loyal to Raushon, also claimed that GM Quader was announced Jatiya Party chairman violating the party constitution.

In a counter-press conference, GM Quader warned of taking action in line with the party constitution against those party leaders who announced his sister-in-law Raushon Ershad its chairman.

On July 18, party secretary general Moshiur Rahman Ranga formally announced HM Ershad’s younger brother GM Quader as Jatiya Party chairman at a press conference.

Before his death, Ranga said, Ershad through an organizational instruction had announced that GM Quader would be the party chairman in his absence. So, we’ve decided that GM Quader is our party chairman.

Four days later, Raushon in a statement said GM Quader cannot be declared the chairman of the party without any decision at the party forum.

Ershad appointed his brother Quader acting chairman and his heir to the party before his death on July 14.

AH