JP ministers yet to resign

Jatiya Party ministers have not yet resigned from the all-party cabinet, the party’s Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Hawlader has said.

He, however, said they might resign any time as per the decision of the party chief.

“We have not submitted our resignations yet. We can submit them anytime,” he told reporters at Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad’s Baridhara residence on Thursday.

Earlier, Ershad’s wife and a presidium member of the party Raushan Ershad, Ruhul Amin Howlader and another leader Mojibul Haque Chunnu went to the PM's office around 12.15pm.

Soon rumours about their resignations spread since there were no flags in their cars though it is a tradition to have national flags in the cars carrying ministers.

They did not speak to reporters while leaving the PM’s office around 2.15pm and went straight to the party chief’s residence.

Earlier, Jatiya Party’s State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Salma Islam told bdnews24.com Correspondent Salahuddin Wahid Pritom, "The (party) chairman had directed us to quit. But we don’t know when.”

However, Ershad’s younger brother and Commerce Minister GM Quader went to the Secretariat around 1pm.

There was national flag in his car, said bdnews24.com Senior Correspondent Shamim Ahmed.

The party’s Presidium member avoided making any comment on resignation.

Later he sent a message through the ministry’s public relations officers, saying that he would inform the media if he resigns.

On reaching Ershad’s residence, Ruhul Amin told reporters, three of them had a long meeting with the Prime Minister.

“We have informed the Prime Minister of the party chief’s decision. We have now come here to apprise the chairman about what we have discussed with the Prime Minister,” he said.

Raushan Ershad is the Health and Family Welfare Affairs Minister in the ‘all-party’ cabinet while Ruhul Amin Howlader is Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister. Mojibul Haque Chunnu is the State Minister for Youth and Sports.

Besides, Jatiya Party presidium member Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu is an advisor to the PM, a post that carries ministerial status.

GM Quader has been retained as Commerce Minister.

Ershad announced to boycott the general elections on Tuesday, a day after his party’s candidates filed nominations to contest the polls.

“My final word is that I won’t go to polls. Withdraw your nomination papers if you have filed them,” said Ersahd.

“And those who are in the all-party cabinet, I am urging them to resign,” he said.

Ershad’s personal aide Retd Major Khalek Akhtar told reporters the party chief had announced to take disciplinary action against those who would defy his decision.

A large number of police and RAB are deployed in front of the former president’s residence even on Thursday.