Is Raushan's political career coming to an end?

With Raushan Ershad not participating in the January 7 parliamentary election, questions have arisen whether the 27-year political career of the Jatiya Party chief patron and opposition leader is coming to an end.

The five-time MP welcomed the announcement of the election schedule and unequivocally said the Jatiya Party would participate in the election under the present government.

However, amid a growing conflict with Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader over not giving nominations to party leaders who are loyal to Raushan, the opposition leader on November 29 formally announced that she would boycott the election.

She alleged that despite her preparation to join the polls, it was not possible for her to participate as the JP leaders were not evaluated properly and the party's tested leaders were not given nominations.

This is the first time in 27 years, since she was first elected MP in the seventh parliament in 1996 from Rangpur-3, that Raushan is not participating in any national election .

She entered politics at the very beginning of the formation of Jatiya Party by her husband, HM Ershad, in 1986.

Political analysts said Raushan's era in politics is likely to end as the 80-year-old has long been suffering from various ailments.

Raushan's current physical condition does not indicate that she will be able to participate in the elections after five years in 2029, when she will be 85.

In her absence, both from parliament and politics, GM Quader's followers will try to establish a stronghold in the party, JP insiders said.

It is widely believed that Raushan gets along well with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

While talking to The Daily Star, JP leaders loyal to Raushan said it was rather unfortunate that the person who has been advocating for participating in elections from the very beginning could not make it due to nomination-related conflicts with GM Quader.

"It has been proven that politics is cruel. Going against HM Ershad's decision, Raushan Ershad decided to participate in the 2014 election, which was boycotted by BNP and most of the political parties," a JP leader loyal to Raushan said

"Sheikh Hasina could have fallen in huge trouble had Raushan not participated in that election," the leader said, wishing anonymity.

"The prime minister had praised Raushan madam so many times in parliament for her contribution to making the parliament effective. But the bitter truth is that Raushan did not get the PM's appointment to resolve the nomination-related crisis in JP," another JP leader said.

Golam Moshi, political secretary of the opposition leader, however, rejected the claim that Raushan's chapter in politics is over.

"A politician who starts her career in comfort and endures hardships, even imprisonment, never truly disappears until she decides to leave the field on her own. Raushan Ershad is committed to turning the party around and freeing it from the clutches of a few selfish leaders and power-hungry politicians," he said.

Moshi said Raushan is ready to fight back.

JP leaders loyal to Raushan are concerned about their political future if her era comes to an end.

JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said Raushan did not play any role in the party for several years due to her illness and old age. "There comes a time when everyone needs to say goodbye to politics. I think her time has come."

The rift between Raushan and Quader reached its peak centring handing out nominations to its leaders.

A section of JP leaders even feared the party might split for the fifth time.

JP on November 27 announced the list of its candidates for 287 seats without nominating any aspirant from Raushan's Mymensingh-4 seat.

The party, however, announced that GM Quader would contest from two seats including Rangpur-3, where Saad Ershad is the incumbent JP lawmaker.

Rangpur-3 was the constituency of JP founder and father of Saad Ershad, HM Ershad.

Besides, JP also gave nomination to HM Shahriar Asif, cousin of GM Quader, to contest from Rangpur-1, where opposition chief whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga is the current MP.

These actions have angered Raushan, her son, and JP leaders loyal to her.

The conflict between Raushan and Quader started following the Ershad's death in July 2019.

Since then, the rift between the pro-Raushan and pro-Quader groups has caught headlines on a regular basis.