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Published : 03 Dec 2018, 11:08 AM
A letter sent to Ranga from the party’s letterhead from Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad on Monday said:
“We are appointing you as the secretary general to the Jatiya Party. You will take on the duties in addition to those as a member of the party’s Presidium.”
The decision would be implemented without delay, said Ershad’s Political Secretary and Jatiya Party Presidium Member Sunil Shuvo Roy in a statement to the media.
But the letter did not provide an explanation of why Ershad’s erstwhile ally, who he said is ‘like a son to him’, has been removed from the post.
Ershad had appointed Howlader as secretary general in 2001 after Anwar Hossain Manju split from the party.
Howlader was removed from the post on Apr 10, 2013 amid power plays within the party, but he was reinstated on Jan 19, 2016.
Howlader had recently attempted to clear the air about rumours surrounding Ershad’s illness and admittance to a hospital ahead of the elections, citing the rumours about the Jatiya Party chief’s admittance to CMH in the lead up to the 2014 polls.
Ershad had recently praised Howlader’s loyalty and aired his discontent with other party leaders in September.
“Now party leaders aren’t giving a paisa,” he said. “Presidium members only give Tk 5,000. Even beggars turn down such a sum. Only the two of us [pointing to Howlader] and our activists contribute.”
Jatiya Party leaders had recently complained that HM Ersad and Howlader were charging exorbitant sums for nomination papers for the coming elections. Howlader had denied the allegations, calling them ‘propaganda’.
The returning officer for Howlader’s constituency rejected his nomination on Sunday because he had failed to pay off his loans.
Generally such news would be a big blow to Ershad, but he did not take time to address it.
Mashiur Rahman Ranga, who is serving as the state minister of local government and cooperatives, will be taking up the post.
Ranga is the MP of Ershad’s home seat in Rangpur. He is the president of the Rangpur District and Metropolitan branches of the Jatiya Party.
He has significant influence as the president of the Bangladesh Road Transport Association, the largest organisation of transport owners in the country.
Ranga will also run for the Rangpur-1 seat with the Jatiya Party’s plough symbol. He is also the Grand Alliance’s candidate for the seat as the Awami League have not nominated a candidate for the constituency.
