Ershad group softens its tone on quitting

Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad and his followers have softened their stance on the resignation of three JP ministers from the Sheikh Hasina-led cabinet, party insiders said.

Ershad had repeatedly said the leaders should leave the cabinet so that their party could play the role of a real opposition party. 

The latest stance comes amid a strong opposition by the Raushan-led faction over the matter.

The insiders also said that the two groups have unofficially reached a consensus that Ershad would continue to act as the key person in the party's organisational activities while Raushan would be the leader in taking decisions on its activities in parliament and in the cabinet.

To tighten his grip on the party, Ershad yesterday made his younger brother GM Quader and JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin Hawlader the spokespersons for the party.

However, the Raushan-led group in the party is apparently against it.

“From now on, GM Quader and ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader will speak to the media on behalf of the party,” said a JP statement signed by Ershad's Press and Political Secretary Shunil Shuvo Roy.

Any “isolated” opinion, speech or statement by “anyone” would not be considered as the party stance on any issue, it said.

Ershad and a group of JP senior leader's move to quit the cabinet got momentum after the JP boss on January 17 appointed GM Quader as the party's co-chairman, known as a critic of the January 5 “one-sided” polls in 2014.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, Hawlader, who replaced Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu as the secretary general around two weeks ago, said his party would continue to stay with the government in the development activities.

“The Jatiya Party will not take any decision that may cause any trouble for the government,” he said.

Also, a cabinet member of the party said without the support of the government, the JP would not be able to perform well in the next general elections.