Declaring Raushon chief is going against Jatiya Party charter: Kazi Feroz Rashid

The naming of Raushon Ershad as Jatiya Party chief has been an act that goes against the party’s constitution, its leader Kazi Feroz Rashid has said.

He reiterated GM Quader’s threat of action against Raushon’s loyalists while briefing the media during a meeting of the presidium and MPs at their Banani office on Friday.

Founder HM Ershad’s death has put the party on the verge of another split over an escalating power struggle between his widow Raushon and brother Quader.

With no sign of the dispute ending anytime soon after the deposed military ruler died in July, the rift widened recently over the party’s nomination for by-polls to Rangpur-3, vacated following the death of Ershad.

It heightened on Wednesday when Raushon and her supporters declared illegal Quader’s letter sent to the speaker on Tuesday seeking to succeed Ershad as the leader of the official opposition in parliament.

Named as acting chairman by Ershad before his death, Quader claims to have support of the majority leaders in the Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party, but Raushon and leaders loyal to her do not agree.

The faction led by Raushon declared her chief on Thursday, drawing threat of retaliatory action from Quader.

Kazi Feroz, a Quader loyalist, said on Friday: “Those who have declared Raushon Ershad chairman of the Jatiya Party have committed crime against the party constitution. They are spreading confusion among the general people and Jatiya Party leaders and activists.”

Sitting beside another Quader loyalist, Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu, Kazi Feroz said: “Those spreading confusion in the Jatiya Party will face action in lie with the party charter.”

He also said there cannot be any confusion over Quader being party chairman and leader of the official opposition in parliament with the support of majority members of the presidium.