Divisions and disagreements are rife in Jatiya Party with two factions divided on who should be the leader of the opposition and the party chief: founding chairman HM Ershad’s widow Raushan Ershad or his bother GM Quader.
The discord has extended to Rangpur-3 as well, a constituency that has been a Jatiya Party stronghold since Ershad won all the elections he took part in from that seat starting from 1991.
The seat fell vacant after Ershad died on Jul 14 and party leaders and activists have been clamouring for nominations since the forms went on sale.
While most of the party’s Rangpur unit has been vying for a local candidate or for the deceased military dictator’s brother Opel as a candidate, Raushan has reportedly been pushing for her son Rahgir Al Mahir better known as Saad Ershad to be given the party nod.
Saad has also collected the nomination form on Sept 3 saying that he wishes to continue the works his father left unfinished.
Ershad’s nephew Asif Shahriar and niece Mehjebunnesa Tumpa along with Opel are popular choices as Jatiya Party candidates while a majority of the Rangpur unit is reportedly against Saad getting the ticket.

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Meanwhile, earlier on Thursday (Sept 5), the pro-Raushan faction announced her as the party chief while GM Quader later said that the chairman will be selected through council as per the party charter.

Likewise, Rangpur leaders are divided with some taking a neutral stance while some rejecting Raushan’s leadership outright.
Some are of the view that since Ershad declared Quader as the chairman in his absence, allowing Raushan to be the chairman would be a betrayal to his memory.
“Ershad has already announced who will be the party chairman. We accept GM Quader as the chairman, not Raushan Ershad,” said Rangpur City Corporation Mayor Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa.
“The Rangpur leaders have full faith on GM Quader and no orders from Raushan Ershad will be accepted here,” he added.
Mostafa who also sits on the party Presidium and serves as its Rangpur unit chief said that those leaders who announced Raushan as the chief will be shunned from the area.
The party’s district unit chief Fakhruzzaman Jahangir echoed saying that they accept Quader as the chief and the party should march forward under his leadership.
“You won’t find a single activist in Rangpur who is on Raushan Ershad’s side,” he told Bangla Tribune.
Meanwhile, the district unit acting General Secretary Abdur Razzak who is hoping for a ticket to contest the by-polls and takes a neutral stand said, “We won’t tolerate any chaos amongst the party.”
Several leaders wishing to remain anonymous echoed Razzak saying they were on neither side and wanted the party to be free of chaos.
There is a quarter of leaders who are of the view that Quader has already served as a chairman for a while now, and Raushan should be allowed to prove herself so that it can be decided who is the more competent chief.
Asif Shahriar who is a contender for the party ticket for Rangpur-3 said also declined to comment saying that he’ll make a statement after scrutinising the situation.