GM Quader has been officially appointed as the chairman of Jatiya Party (JaPa), following the death of his older brother and former military dictator HM Ershad.

“Hussain Muhammad Ershad appointed GM Quader as the acting chairman of the party before falling ill,” Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga told the media on Thursday (Jul 18).

He added that in accordance to the party charter the acting chairman becomes the official chief if the chairman dies.

GM Quader, who was also present at the media call, said that the party stands united and will now focus on being more active in its political activities.

“The party will elect a leader of opposition in Parliament and inform the Speaker,” he said and added that the candidate for Ershad’s Rangpur-3 constituency will be floated the same way.

Ershad breathed his last at the Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka on Sunday (Jul 14) after being on life support for 10 days.

He had been suffering from myelodysplastic syndrome or a low-level of haemoglobin in his blood for a long time.

He has been laid to rest at ‘Polli Nibash,’ his Rangpur residence at the insistence of the party leaders.