Anisul new Jatiya Party chairman, Ruhul Amin GS, ousting GM Quader

A new leadership of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) has been formed excluding GM Quader. At the “10th National Council” convened by leaders who had been removed from the party, Anisul Islam Mahmud was elected chairman, and ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader was elected general secretary (GS).

The announcement was made on Saturday (August 9) afternoon by Zahirul Islam Zahir, head of the election commission, at the Emmanuel Party Center in Gulshan, Dhaka, after the council session.

Zahir said that with the support of the councillors, Kazi Firoz Rashid was elected senior co-chairman, and Mujibul Haque Chunnu was elected executive chairman. The new chairman, Anisul Islam Mahmud, will announce a full committee within the next 15 days after discussions with all concerned.

After being elected, Anisul Islam Mahmud said, “From today, no one will be expelled from the party unjustly. Those who work for the party will be valued. We will work for principled politics and for changing the fate of the people of Bangladesh.”

New general secretary Ruhul Amin Howlader said, “With your cooperation, we will be able to work for the people of the country. I invite those who did not attend this council to join the Jatiya Party.”

The day-long council was attended as chief guest by Jatiya Party (JP) chairman Anwar Hossain Manju and presided over by outgoing acting chairman Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud. Special guests included outgoing co-chairman ABM Ruhul Amin and co-chairman Kazi Firoz Rashid. Expressing solidarity, Jatiya Party (JP) general secretary Sheikh Shahidul Islam, Jatiya Party (Kazi Zafar) presidium member Didarul Alam Didar, and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Matin) general secretary Zafar Ahmed Joy delivered speeches.

Other speakers included this faction’s co-chairman Syed Abu Hossain Babla; presidium members Shahidur Rahman Tepa, ATU Taj Rahman, Solaiman Alam Seth, Nasrin Jahan Ratna, Nazma Akter, Liakat Hossain Khoka, Mostafa Al Mahmud, Masroor Mawla, Jasim Uddin Bhuiyan, Arifur Rahman, Nurul Islam Milon, Ziaul Haque Mridha, and Khan Israfil Khokon, along with most senior leaders of the party and district committee presidents and general secretaries.

The leadership crisis began when GM Quader, the younger brother of Jatiya Party founder and former president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, removed 10 leaders — including senior co-chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, and secretary general Mujibul Haque Chunnu — on July 7.

The removed leaders sought legal recourse, and on July 31 the court issued a temporary injunction on the organisational activities of GM Quader and joint office secretary Mahmud Alam.

Following this, in a statement signed by removed office secretary MA Razzak Khan, Anisul Islam Mahmud was declared acting chairman of the party.

On Friday (August 8), Anisul Islam Mahmud, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader, and Mujibul Haque Chunnu called a press conference to announce the national council.