Ranga removed from all JP posts

Jatiya Party Presidium Member Moshiur Rahman Ranga was removed from all party posts yesterday, a move likely to intensify the rift between JP chief patron Raushan Ershad and Chairman GM Quader.

The sudden decision to drop Ranga, also the chief whip of the opposition in parliament, surprised many in the party.

JP insiders said it might create unrest among the rank and file.

In a press release, it yesterday said party Chairman Quader relieved Ranga from all posts, including presidium member, exercising his power bestowed upon him according to the party charter.

A JP leader said Ranga's interview to a private TV channel irked Quader as he spoke in favour of Raushan and the ongoing rift between Quader and Raushan.

In the interview, Ranga, also former secretary general of the party, said many JP lawmakers had objections to the party's recent letter to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, requesting her to make Quader the leader of the opposition in the House.

At present, Quader is the deputy leader of the opposition and Raushan the leader of the opposition.

In the interview, Ranga, lawmaker from Rangpur-1, said the  party chairman's decision to send the letter was wrong.

Yesterday, JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu said the decision to remove Ranga was made following a consensus.

Fresh conflict between Raushan and Quader started brewing when Raushan, widow of former president and founder of JP, on August 31 suddenly called the party's 10th national council on November 26.

Sources at the JP told The Daily Star that pro-Raushan group has planned to oust Quader from the JP helm in the council and take control.

A day later, JP Parliamentary Party on September 1 wrote to the Speaker to make Quader the leader of the opposition.

Later, the JP presidium at a meeting in the chairman's Banani office unanimously supported the proposal.

Sources in parliament and the JP said although the Speaker is the supreme authority in deciding who is the leader of the opposition, in reality, it is the government high-ups whose signal is vital to Quader becoming the opposition leader.

Quader had been sharply criticising the incumbent government outside parliament.

Aggrieved, the ruling Awami League high-ups are allegedly backing pro-Raushan Ershad group to put pressure on him.

Quader, lawmaker from Lalmonirhat-3, recently said a third party was trying to implement an agenda by using the name of Raushan.

Meanwhile, Ranga yesterday claimed that many lawmakers were forced to sign the letter to the Speaker.

"Many MPs of the party had objections. Moreover, MPs were not informed of the meeting agenda. Therefore, what GM Quader did was not done properly, and it was not in line with the party charter."

Quader said, "Though he [Ranga] has been removed from party posts, he has not been expelled from the party. He still holds the post of chief whip of the opposition party. Decisions will be made on the issues later."

Ranga said Quader does not have the power to expel him from the party.

"Either he will do politics or I. I take it as a challenge. I helped him become the chairman when everyone was against him. He won't be able to go to Rangpur …. Earlier, he ignored the party constitution and removed me from the general secretary post without any council."

Feud between Raushan and Quader started over taking the helm of the party when JP founder HM Ershad fell ill in early 2019.

The conflict reached its peak following his demise in July 2019.

Since then, rift between the pro-Raushan and pro-Quader groups often made headlines.

Raushan, who is being treated at a Bangkok hospital for around eight months, is likely to return home by the end of this month, Golam Moshi, her personal secretary, told The Daily Star.