Raushon Ershad urges BNP leaders Moudud, Moazzem to return to Jatiya Party

Raushon Ershad has called Moudud Ahmed and Shah Moazzem Hossain, known as political gymnasts, leaders who have made sacrifices and urged them to return to Jatiya Party.

The leader of the opposition in Parliament made the call during a news conference on Sunday amidst a power struggle with her husband HM Ershad.

Moudud and Moazzem, both in the BNP now, are criticised for doing somersaults several times to keep themselves alive in politics. They both had served military dictator Ershad as ministers but deserted him after the fall of autocracy in 1990.

“Leaders like Moudud, Shah Moazzem, Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury, Anwar Hossain Manju had been at the side of the party chairman. Who is beside the Jatiya Party chairman now?” Raushon asked.

After being in the cabinets of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and first military dictator Ziaur Rahman, Moazzem had joined Ershad’s Jatiya Party. He is currently a vice chairman in the BNP.

Another political turncoat, Moudud, is now a member of BNP’s National Standing Committee.

Ershad’s prime minister late Mizanur Rahman Chowdhury had returned to the Awami League.

Manju, now the environment minister, left Jatiya Party and formed another party with the same name - Jatiya Party (JP).

“Now I’ve reached an age where I don’t want anything for myself. But I don’t want to see any disconnect in Jatiya Party,” Raushon said.

“I have only one wish – to get the old leaders back in the fold of Jatiya Party.

“The leaders who have been inactive after leaving Jatiya Party, please come back. We are waiting eagerly for you,” the former First Lady added. 

Raushon also urged her husband not to take any decision alone.

“This party is not someone’s personal company. It’s a party for all leaders, activists and supporters,” she said.

Jatiya Party leader and Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud was also present at the media call.

The squabbling in the party surfaced recently when Ershad named his brother GM Quader his successor in the party and replaced secretary general Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu with ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader in January.