The Jatiya Party is scheduled to hold its 9th national council after nearly four years on Saturday (Dec 28).
However, many within the party see the council as a matter of mere formality as presidium members have reportedly divided up the number of new posts created.
Young leaders within the party are of the view that with the council, Jatiya Party has officially taken the path to instability and are worried about their future.
On Friday (Dec 26), Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga told the media that Raushon Ershad, the existing senior co-chairman and the widow of party founder HM Ershad would be announced the chief patron of Jatiya Party.
According to him, the post is that of utmost importance but the power of making final calls would still remain with Chairman GM Quader.
Party sources said that many of the sections of the charter will be see amendments with the addition of several posts. Another post for a senior co-chairman and six co-chairmen will be created.
Moreover, eight posts for additional secretary general for the party’s eight units have also been created. Eight out of the 51 presidium members are likely to fill the spots.
Two presidium members said that Anisul Islam Mahmud was being considered as a senior co-chairman, while Ziauddin Bablu, Ruhul Amin Howlader Kazi Feroze Rashid, Fakhrul Imam are being considered for co-chairmen.
Kazi Mamnur Rashid, a Presidium member termed the council as a ‘bushfire.’
“The committees that are being formed and what’s coming out of this council will burn Jatiya Party to the ground,” he told Bangla Tribune.
However, Fakhrul Imam, a Presidium of the pro-Raushon group said that the new posts will resolve the conflicts and disagreements within the party.
Social welfare organisation Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik (Shujan) General Secretary Badiul Alam Majumder told Bangla Tribune, “I don’t see Jatiya Party as a political party. It’s a syndicate.”
He added that most of the parties have turned into a syndicate and they lack programs and policies.
Alam said these parties only have leaders and no activists and they have no concern over the welfare of politics through politics.
Political author Mohiuddin Ahmed said that it does not matter how many members are within the committees, as Jatiya Party’s politics has nothing to do with the people.
Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga said that the posts have been proposed to bring order within the party.
The last council of the party was held in 2016 when former military dictator was alive. Back then Ruhul Amin Howlader replaced Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu as the secretary general.
Before the national polls in 2018, Howlader was removed and replaced with Ranga by Ershad himself.
Following Ershad’s death on Jul 14, 2019, his younger brother GM Quader was announced the chairman by Ranga.
The move had sparked friction within Jatiya Party with leaders splitting into pro-Raushon and pro-Quader groups.
The matter was later resolved through Quader retaining the post of the chairman and Raushon remaining the leader of opposition in Parliament.