Jatiya Party
By-polls to 5 vacant seats: JaPa announces candidates
Jatiya Party (JaPa) on Tuesday announced its candidacy for elections to five parliamentary seats left vacant after BNP MPs resignation.
By-polls to the five parliamentary seats will be held on February 1 next year.
The candidates finally nominated by the National Party Nomination Board are – Hafiz Uddin Ahmed for Thakurgaon-3, Md Nurul Islam Omar for Bogura-6, Shahin Mostafa Kamal Bogura-4 and Md Rezaul Islam Bhuiyan for Brahmanbaria-2.
Khandaker Delwar Jalali, press secretary to the JaPa chairman, revealed this in a press release today.
Read more: By-elections to 5 vacant seats of BNP MPs on Feb 1, 2023
The Election Commission (EC) announced the schedule of the by-elections on December 18.
EC will conduct the by-polls to parliamentary seats -- Thakurgaon-3, Bogura-4, Bogura-6, Chapainawabganj-2 and Brahmanbaria-2.
The EC secretary said candidates can submit their nomination papers till January 5. Returning officers will scrutinize the nomination papers on January 8 and January 15 has been set as the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
Read more: By-polls to 5 vacant seats: AL to start distributing application forms Wednesday
GM Quader can’t perform duties as JaPa chairman: Appellate Division
The Appellate Division on Wednesday upheld the verdict of a lower court that barred GM Quader from performing his duties as the Chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa) on Wednesday.
A three-member bench led by Chief Justice Hasan Foyez Siddiqui passed the order.
Besides, the Appellate Division bench also asked Dhaka Joint District Judge’s Court to quickly dispose of the petition filed by Quader against its verdict that prevented him from acting as JaPa chief.
During the hearing, Sheikh Mohammad Sirajul Islam stood for GM Quader, while Sayed Ahmed Raja represented petitioner Ziaul Haque Mridha.
“The Appellate Division order bars Quader from performing activities as JaPa Ccief. Now we need to conduct a hearing on the petition filed against him by Mridha,” said Sirajul.
Earlier on Monday, the Appellate Division fixed December 13 (Tuesday) for delivering its judgment on the temporary embargo on the political activities of Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader.
Read: Verdict on ban on GM Quader’s party activities tomorrow
On November 30, Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim stayed the High Court order allowing Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post.
On November 29, HC cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as Jatiya Party Chairman by staying the lower court embargo till January 3 following a revision petition.
Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4.
On October 30, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader.
On October 6, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court.
In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as Chairman as per the constitution of the party that was dismissed by the same court on November 16.
Later, Quader filed a revision petition with the HC challenging the lower court order.
According to the case statement, the party’s founder HM Ershad died on September 14, 2019.
Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court.
Read: GM Quader cannot perform duties as JaPa Chairman, Chamber Judge stays HC order
Later, Quader as party chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit’s advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and Organising Secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per the constitution of the party.
Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on September 14 and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on September 17.
In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from December 28, 2019, to September 17, 2022 and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of.
GM Quader cannot perform duties as JaPa Chairman, Chamber Judge stays HC order
The Appellate Division on Wednesday stayed the High Court order allowing Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post.
Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division M Enayetur Rahim passed the order following an appeal against the HC order.
The Appellate Division stayed the HC order till Monday for hearing in the full bench.
Read more: GM Quader can perform party activities: HC
With this order, the restriction on the activities of GM Quader as party chairman has been upheld, said plaintiff’s counsel Barrister Sayed Ahmed Raja.
On Tuesday, HC cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as Jatiya Party Chairman by staying the lower court embargo till January 3 following a revision petition.
Jatiya Party's suspended leader and former lawmaker Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4.
On October 30, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader.
On October 6, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court.
In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as Chairman as per the constitution of the party that was dismissed by the same court on November 16.
Read more: JP: Court clears petition on withdrawal of ban of GM Quader’s party activities
Later, Quader filed a revision petition with the HC challenging the lower court order.
According to the case statement, the party’s founder HM Ershad died on September 14, 2019.
Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court.
Later, Quader as party chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit’s advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and Organising Secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per the constitution of the party.
Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on September 14 and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on September 17.
In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from December 28, 2019, to September 17, 2022 and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of.
GM Quader can perform party activities: HC
The High Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader to perform the duties of his post.
The HC bench of Justice Sheikh Abdul Awal passed the order following a revision petition filed by Quader challenging the lower court order, his lawyer Sheikh Muhammed Serajul Islam, said.
There is no legal bar for GM Quader to perform the duties of Jatiya Party chairman following the HC order, he said.
Read more: JP: Court clears petition on withdrawal of ban of GM Quader’s party activities
Advocate Sheikh Muhammad Sirajul Islam stood in the court on behalf of GM Quader while Deputy Attorney General Sahida Khatun, Assistant Attorney General Kohinoor Akhtar and Sabina Parveen represented the state.
Jatiya Party's suspended leader and former lawmaker Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on October 4 and the court on October 31 had issued the order.
On October 6, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court.
In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as Chairman as per the constitution of the party.
Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader after the plaintiff of the case lodged a petition on October 31.
The party-backed lawmaker Mashiur Rahman Ranga filed another case against four people including GM Quader on the same demand at the same court on October 3.
Read more: Govt cheating nation in name of development before democracy: GM Quader
According to the case statement, the party’s founder HM Ershad died on September 14, 2019.
Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on December 28, 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the High Court.
Later, Quader as party chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit’s advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and Organising Secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per the constitution of the party.
Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on September 14 and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on September 17.
In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from December 28, 2019, to September 17, 2022 and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of.
Raushon Ershad returns home, calls for JP unity
Jatiya Party leader Raushon Ershad on Sunday returned home after treatment in Thailand and called for keeping the party united removing misunderstandings through discussions.
A Thai Airways flight carrying Raushon, also the leader of the opposition in Parliament, landed at Hazrat Shahjal International Airport at 12:25pm.
Later talking to reporters at the airport’s VIP Lounge, she said “I always want the unity of the Jatiya Party…there is no question of splitting the party,” she said.
She said there could be some conspiracy to weaken the party like in the past. “InshAllah, we’ll foil those conspiracies and build a united and strong Jatiya Party,” she said.
Raushon, the 78-year-old widow of Jatiya Party founder and late president HM Ershad, also claimed that she has no conflict with the party chairman and her brother-in-law GM Quader.
“I have returned to Dhaka and I will sit with all MPs, presidium members, and others to remove confusion and misunderstanding. I am sure, we’ll be able to eliminate the misunderstanding and return to the political program unitedly soon,” Raushon said.
The opposition leader called upon those who left Jatiya Party at different times with Anwar Hossain Manju, Naziur Rahman Manzur and Kazi Jafar Ahmed to return to the party.
“We must give due recognitions to those who were with us during the difficult and adverse times of the Jatiya Party from 1991 to 1996,” she said.
Read more: Raushon Ershad to return home on Nov 27
Raushon said their party will nominate a competent candidate to vie for the mayoral post in Rangpur City Corporation polls billed for December 27.
Replying to a question, the opposition leader said Jatiya Party has no reason to make any alliance with BNP ahead of the next general election.
“People want a change for progress and peace, which only the Jatiya Party can ensure, not BNP. “There is no question of forging any alliance with the BNP,” she said.
Asked whether the Jatiya Party will be in alliance with the Awami League in the 12th parliamentary election, Raushon parried the question saying, “Time will tell”.
About her physical condition, Raushon said she is now fine, but still have some problem with her leg for which she has been taking physiotherapy.
Raushon thanked the Prime Minister for supporting her and inquiring about her health condition during her treatment in Bangkok.
She said the current geopolitics, particularly the war in Ukraine created serious economic problems, which has also affected Bangladesh. “So, we all must remain more alert and cooperate with the government to face the challenges,” she added.
Read more: Raushon Ershad flies to Bangkok again for follow-up treatment
Rahgir Al Mahi Ershad (better known as Saad Ershad) and his wife Mahima Saad as well as spokesperson of Raushon Ershad Kazi Mamunur Rashid also returned home with the opposition leader.
JP leaders ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, Kazi Firoz Rashid MP, Syed Abu Hossain Babla MP, Opposition Chief Whip Mashiur Rahman Ranga, Prof Delwar Hossain, Sunil Shuvo Ray and Golam Moshi, among others, were present at the airport to welcome the Opposition Leader, said a press release.
On July 5, Raushon went to Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, for follow-up treatment.
Earlier on November 5 last year, she was flown to Thailand by an air ambulance as her health condition turned critical. She returned home on June 27 and stayed eight days in the country before going to Thailand for further treatment.
As in the previous time, she went to Westin Hotel in the city’s Gulshan area from the airport instead of her residence to stay there, party sources said.
Raushon has returned home at a time when Jatiya Party is divided over her previous call for holding the party council while Mosiur Rahman Ranga was recently removed from the party’s all posts.
As a result of the party’s internal feud, JP MPs sent a letter to the Speaker of the Parliament to recognise GM Quader as the opposition leader, removing Raushon Ershad.
Meanwhile, a court issued an injunction barring GM Quader from taking any political decision regarding the party on October 31 following an application filed by former JP lawmaker advocate Ziaul Haque Mridha, who was expelled from the party on September 17.
Raushon Ershad to return home on Nov 27
Opposition Leader Raushon Ershad will return to Bangladesh from Bangkok, Thailand, on November 27 after nearly five months of stay there for treatment.
She will reach the Hazrat Shahjajal International Airport at about 12:00 pm in a flight of Thai Airways, according to a press release from opposition leader’s office at Parliament.
Read more: Raushon Ershad flies to Bangkok again for follow-up treatment
Rahgir Al Mahi Saad Ershad MP (Rangpur-3) along with his wife Mahima Ershad will accompany Raushon.
On July 5, Raushon went to Thailand for follow-up treatment at Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok.
Raushon expressed her special gratitude to leaders and activists of Jatiya Party, well-wishers and the people for praying for her recovery.
Rangpur city polls: JP decides to stick with what works
Jatiya Party has chosen to stick with a proven winner by nominating its Rangpur city unit president Mostafizar Rahman Mostafa as the party’s mayoral candidate to contest the Rangpur City Corporation elections, slated for December 27.
On behalf of party Chairman GM Quader, Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu finalised the nomination on Sunday.
Contacted, Chunnu told UNB that their party’s high command earlier decided to field incumbent mayor Mostafa as the Jatiya Party candidate in the upcoming polls.
Read more: Election Commission won’t favour any political party: Anisur Rahman
He said Jatiya Party vice chairman SM Yasir received the nomination paper on behalf of Mostafa, from him at the party chairman’s Banani office at noon.
Earlier, at a programme in Rangpur on October 25, GM Quader had already declared Mostafa as the party’s mayoral contestant.
Mostafa became the mayor of Rangpur city defeating Awami League candidate Sharfuddin Ahmed Jhantu in only the second municipal polls of the city held on December 21, 2017.
The third election to Rangpur City Corporation will be held on December 27.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission, candidates can submit their nomination papers to the returning officer and assistant returning officer till November 29.
Read more: JP to join JS session upon speaker’s assurance
The Returning officer will scrutinize the nomination papers on November 29 and December 1. December 8 has been set as the final date for the withdrawal of candidature.
A total of 3,93,994 voters will cast their votes at 193 centres to elect the Rangpur mayor, 27 general ward councillors and 11 reserved ward councillors.
Jatiya Party doesn't subscribe to the concept of election under caretaker government: Chunnu
Jatiya Party Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu on Thursday said they do not subscribe to the concept of an election under a caretaker government.
Only a proportional election system can ensure fairness, he added.
Chunnu was speaking at a seminar on Democracy Day at the party's headquarters in Kakrail Thursday, said Jatiya Party Office Secretary-2 MA Razzak Khan in a media statement.
The Jatiya Party observes November 10 as Democracy Day as its founder Hussain Mohammad Ershad lifted martial law on this day in 1986.
Read: No conspiracy can break Jatiya Party’s unity: Chunnu
"Since 1991, the Awami League and the BNP have ruled the country for 32 years but failed to ensure good governance," Chunnu said.
"The BNP and the Awami League get into a tug-of-war over election results, with both parties calling it unfair when they lose it. The BNP and the Awami League never kept the promises they made to the people," the Jatiya Party leader added.
US Official: Free, fair elections “must include a level playing field for all”
Free and fair elections in Bangladesh “must include a level playing field” for all participants, including political parties, said the US Embassy in Dhaka on Monday on conclusion of US Deputy Assistant Secretary Afreen Akhter’s two-day visit here.
The US official and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Peter Haas met with representatives of Bangladesh's three major political parties – Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party and Jatiya Party.
Before leaving Dhaka, Afreen Akhter had a breakfast meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen at a city hotel on Monday.
“Absolutely, there is trust and respect for each other,” she said referring to her meeting with political leaders.
Read more: Working closely with civil society for fair elections: Visiting US official
She highlighted the cooperation between Bangladesh and the US in a whole range of areas including health, climate and economic cooperation.
Talking to reporters, Foreign Secretary Masud said they talked about a number of issues and it was “not an election-centric” discussion.
"Our USAID mission is working very closely with the civil society actors across Bangladesh to support their efforts to provide free and fair elections in Bangladesh,” Akhter told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
Read more: Govt to support Election Commission in holding fair election: Law Minister
During her meeting with Secretary (Maritime Affairs Unit) Rear Admiral (Retd) Md Khurshed Alam, the US official discussed maritime security and how they can cooperate with Bangladesh and other forms of maritime cooperation in the region during the meeting.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA) for Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Maldives, as well the Office of Security and Transnational Affairs most recently served as a Senior Adviser to SCA Assistant Secretary Don Lu.
Previously, Akhter was the National Security and Foreign Affairs Adviser to U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen.
‘We’re all trapped inside a cage, and need release’: GM Quader
Jatiya Party Chairman G.M. Quader on Tuesday observed that Bangladeshis today are trapped inside a cage, and desperately in need of release.
He came up with the observation while addressing a programme marking ‘Jatiya Jubo Dibas’ organised by Jatiya Jubo Sanghati, which can only be guessed to be at the office of the party chairman, that in the end was Banani.
Jatiya Jubo Sanghati Convener and the party’s Vice Chairman AHM Shahriar Asif presided over the programme which was also conducted by its Member Secretary and the party’s Sports Affairs Secretary Ahad U Chowdhury Shaheen.
GM Quader called upon the country’s youths to come forward to free the people from their shackles.
Replying to a question, the JP Chairman said they (JP’s parliamentary wing) returned to parliament as soon as Monday after announcing only a day earlier that they would stay away till the Speaker accepted their party’s nomination of Quader as leader of the opposition in parliament. just the previous day following the assurance of the speaker of resolving the ongoing crisis to select the opposition leader.
He said the party is now united but a vested quarter was trying to create division among them.
Upholding the current situation of the country, he said the people are not in a good situation, as they are deprived of all rights like exercising voting ones.
Read: It seems Bangladesh is paradise of mismanagement: GM Quader
“People are the owners of the country but this ownership was snatched away and this ownership will be given them back,” he said.
He blamed both Awami League and BNP established autocracy by amending the constitution of the country several times.
The younger brother of JP founder H.M. Ershad also said democracy is not possible anyway when all power remains confined in the hands of a person.
“Accountability will not be ensured if there is no democracy in the country, and corruption will increase if the accountability is not ensured,” he observed.
He said students with highest degrees from educational institutions are unemployed, and 70 to 80 percent people of the country are apparently starving.
Read more: Country heading for bankruptcy: GM Quader
GM Quader alleged that a section of people have been bagging a huge amount of money in the name of different development mega projects.
The party’s Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu, lawmaker Nazma Akther, Presidium Member Mir Abdus Sabur Asad and Advocate Md Rezaul Karim Bhuiyan, among others, were present at the programme.