The rank and file of the Jatiya Party (JP), especially grassroots activists of the party, are still not clear whether party chief HM Ershad has willingly joined the government or has been forced to do so. Though a section of JP leaders, including Rawshan Ershad, wife of the JP chief, claimed that Ershad was in the Combined Medical Hospital (CMH), the JP chief himself hinted to his close associates that he was incarcerated in the hospital.
Salma Islam, a presidium member of the party, said the JP chairman looked quite healthy in the hospital. “Who says I am sick? I was quite well in the hospital,” said Salma, quoting the former president.
Ershad is now being mobbed by deprived party leaders who had withdrawn their candidatures as per the JP chief’s directives. These leaders are now camping outside the JP chief’s President Park residence at Baridhara and mounting pressure on him to place them at the helm of different banks, insurance companies and different government organisations.
Sources said the JP chairman, who is also the special envoy to the Prime Minister, is lobbying with the government to resolve this issue.
A large section of JP leaders are irked over the allotment of ministerial portfolios in the 10th Parliament. Besides, most JP leaders and activists think that the party’s image has been tarnished by its eventual decision to take part in the recently held election.
Some JP leaders and activists, staying on the premises of Ershad’s Baridhara residence, are shouting abuses at those who had participated in the 10th parliamentary poll by allegedly detaining the party chief in the hospital.
Meanwhile, Ershad has appointed his younger brother GM Quader and party secretary general ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader as his spokespersons.
“The party’s decisions and chairman’s directives would be circulated through these two spokespersons. From now on, no one can give any statement or comment on behalf of the party chairman,” according to the directives issued by the JP chief.
On December 3, the JP chairman had announced that his party would boycott the January 5 national poll, saying that he had already directed all party candidates to withdraw their nomination papers. He also said that his party had been contemplating pulling out of the “all-party” poll-time government, if the election does not take place. He had also spoken in favour of an inclusive election.
Requesting journalists not to ridicule him, Ershad said, “Please don’t misunderstand me. It’s partially true that I have to change my decision time to time due to pressure from various quarters. I’m a politician shackled with many issues. There are many cases pending against me.”
Ershad also said that he had to breach a commitment he made during the Gazipur City Corporation election. In
the Gazipur mayoral election held in July, Ershad had decided to remain neutral. But he later gave in and supported the ruling party candidate who eventually lost to the Opposition-backed candidate.
On December 4, almost one month before the much-debated January 5 election, Ershad had said: “It’s my last commitment that I won’t join the poll. Don’t put your (JP candidates) lives in danger, please withdraw your nomination papers.”
Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) had admitted Ershad to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on December 12. He, however, had claimed that he was being detained in the hospital. He had also urged all JP MPs not to take oath.
Ershad left the Awami League-led Grand Alliance government on November 18, while seven JP leaders were inducted in the poll-time cabinet to supervise the parliamentary poll on the same day.
On November 16, the mercurial JP chief had said that people would call him a traitor if his party participates in the election under the Awami League government. On November 20, he had also said, “If we join the election without the BNP, people will spit on me.” However, Ershad finally took part in the election and won 33 seats. His wife Rawshan has been made the Opposition leader for the 10th Parliament.
Ershad, who had earlier said he would rather die than take part in the January 5 election, took oath on January 10 as an MP for the 10th Parliament and he has been made a special envoy to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Courtesy of The Independent
