Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party on Thursday handed over a letter to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury requesting her to recognise party chairman GM Quader as the leader of opposition in the Parliament. Currently, Raushan Ershad is the opposition leader who has been abroad for a long time for medical treatment with GM Quader as her deputy. A delegation of JP led by the party’s secretary general and a JP MP Mujibul Haque Chunnu submitted the letter to the Speaker at the latter’s office this evening. Also read: Parliament passes Public Debt bill by voice vote “Opposition leader is sick for a long time, so she is unable to come to the Parliament due to her sickness. The Parliamentary Party took the decision at a meeting where 23 out of 26 MPs were present and one MP telephoned his consent saying that he will sign the letter later,” Chunnu said. Earlier, the Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party at a meeting at its office at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban decided to make the change and send the decision to the Speaker, Chunnu said. Raushan is now under treatment at a hospital in Bangkok. Also read: Law minister introduces Evidence (Amendment) Bill in Parliament

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushan Ershad on Wednesday hailed the Padma Bridge as a “symbol of our self-respect” and not  just an infrastructure. The Jatiya Party leader said this while taking part in the general discussion on the proposed budget for 2022-23 in the House. "There was a lot of criticism centering it. The dream has finally come true. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the prime minister,” she said on her first appearance in the House in about a year. Read:PM: Conspiracy delayed construction of Padma Bridge by 2 years Raushan returned home from Thailand on Monday after seven months of treatment.  She thanked Hasina for her brave decision to build the bridge overcoming all hurdles.  "There was a lot of criticism centering it. The dream has finally come true. I extend my heartiest congratulations to the prime minister,” she said. Raushan urged the government to take long-term steps to find a permanent solution to the country’s flood problem.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Thursday said they are waiting for the opinions of doctors to send ailing Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushan Ershad abroad. “Begum Raushan Ershad has long been undergoing treatment at Dhaka CMH. Her blood pressure and heartbeat are good, but she’s not in good shape,” he said. Quoting doctors, the Jatiya Party chief said the opposition leader has been suffering mainly from old-age complications. “The doctors are trying their best to ensure her proper treatment (at the CMH). She’ll be taken abroad if the doctors advise so,” he said. READ: Identify reasons why police failed to control violence: GM Quader GM Quader made the remarks while speaking at a doa mahfail at Jatiya Party Chairman’s Banani office arranged by the party seeking speedy recovery of Raushan. He urged people to pray for the opposition leader so that she recovers fast. Raushan, also the chief patron of the Jatiya Party, was admitted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMM), Dhaka on August 14 with an unusual level of carbon dioxide in her lungs. She has been receiving treatment at the same hospital since then with a little improvement. On April 29, Raushan, the 78-year-old widow of former military ruler HM Ershad, was admitted to the CMH after she fell ill, and she received treatment there for 24 days at that time. READ: Current constitution “contrary” to democratic practice: GM Quader She was elected MP from Mymenshigh-4 seat during the 11th parliamentary election. Raushan has been performing as the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament for the second consecutive term. Jatiya Party will arrange doa mahfil and prayer sessions across the country on Friday seeking her quick recovery.

Opposition leader Raushan Ershad on Sunday greeted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha that is set to be celebrated on July 21. Prime minister's protocol officer-2 M Abu Jafar Raju received the greetings card on her behalf from Raushan's private secretary AKM Abdur Rahim Bhuiyan. Also read: Zilhajj moon sighted; Eid-ul-Azha on July 21 On July 6, Sheikh Hasina sent Eid greetings cards to the opposition leader in the parliament Raushan Ershad and Jatiya Party Chairman and deputy opposition leader GM Quader. The Zilhajj moon was sighted in Bangladesh today and the month of Zilhajj will begin from July 12.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday greeted opposition leader in parliament Raushan Ershad and Jatiya Party chairman and deputy leader of the opposition GM Quader on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. GM Quader received his card from PM's protocol officer-2 M Abu Jafar Raju at his Uttara residence, according to a media release issued by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). Read:Sheikh Hasina gifts 2,600kg mangoes to PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee Raju handed over the card for Raushan to her private secretary AKM Abdur Rahim Bhuiyan at Raushan’s Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban office, the release added.