JP leadership shuffle ‘undemocratic’: Raushan

Opposition leader Raushan Ershad today termed “undemocratic and devoid of rules” the change in Jatiya party’s secretary general and appointment of a co-chairman by the party chief without any discussion in party forums.

In a press release, she expressed hope that Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad will revise his decision in the interests of the party’s greater unity and thus make it stronger and organised.

Raushan also said the issue of making her Jatiya Party acting chairman was not discussed in the party’s joint meeting held in her residence on Monday night.

She claimed that the party has been playing an important role as the opposition in parliament.

This is the first reaction of Raushan, also a senior presidium member of the party, since last week’s disputes over Jatiya Party leadership.

“The change in the party’s two important posts, including  making a co-chairman or party’s future chairman, by its chairman HM Ershad, without discussion in the party’s parliamentary party and presidium, is unconstitutional and devoid of a political party’s principle,” she said.

At the same time, she said the confusion over making the party’s acting chairman was not correct as there was no discussion about it at the joint meeting.

Last Sunday, Ershad at a press conference at the party’s Rangpur office announced to make his younger brother GM Quader the party’s co-chairman.

Opposing Ershad’s decision, JP presidium member and then secretary general Ziauddin Bablu announced Raushan Ershad as the party acting chairman the following day.

Bablu claimed that the decision was made at a joint meeting of the party’s presidium and parliamentary party members at Raushan’s residence.

Aggrieved at Bablu’s move, Ershad at an emergency press conference at his Banani office on Tuesday removed Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu as the party secretary general and replaced him with Ruhul Amin Howlader.