Ershad fires Tajul, Ranga from presidium as crisis deepens

Chairman HM Ershad has fired Mashiur Rahman Ranga and Tajul Islam Chowdhury – known to be Raushon Ershad loyalists – from the presidium in a clear sign of deep schism in Jatiya Party.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 Sept 2014, 12:36 PM
Updated : 10 Sept 2014, 12:36 PM

Ranga currently holds the portfolio of local government, and Tajul is the opposition chief whip in Parliament.

The Opposition party in a media statement, signed by media and political secretary Sunil Shuvo Roy, formally announced the removal of the two Raushon loyalists from the party's highest decision-making body.

Ershad dismissed them from the presidium under the Clause 39 of the JP constitution, it said.
In recent weeks, Ershad has been critical of the government and said the resignations of JP ministers from the cabinet were being discussed.
A party leader said on condition of anonymity that Ershad's stand had been discussed in the parliamentary meeting on Monday.
Tajul and Ranga opposed Ershad’s position; instead, they urged him to resign from the post of the PM's special envoy.
Ershad was in Habibganj when the meeting took place and he came back to Dhaka Tuesday night.
Awami League won the BNP-boycotted election of Jan 5 and formed the government for the second time in a row. JP, with its 34 MPs, is the Opposition in the 10th Parliament.
Though presidium member Raushon is currently leading the opposition in Parliament, three JP members are part of the cabinet, too.