JS goes into session today amid JP discontent

Parliament is set to go into the 20th session on Sunday, but Jatiya Party lawmakers remain in discomfort as their disputes over the opposition leader and opposition chief whip remain unsettled.

The House will go into the session on Sunday afternoon after a 59-day recess as the previous 19th session of the 11th parliament was prorogued on September 1.

The JP, which is the official opposition in the House, requested the Speaker two months go to recognise its chairman GM Quader as the opposition leader, removing the party’s chief patron Raushon Ershad from the post. But the issue still remains unresolved.

The move created infighting between Quader and Raushon over the control of the party ahead of the next general election. Amid the infighting, JP on September 14 last relieved Mashiur Rahman Ranga from all party posts, including that of the presidium member.

Later Ranga, who earlier sent a letter to the Speaker on September 01, requesting for the recognition of GM Quader as the opposition leader, submitted another letter before the Speaker on September 20, seeking withdrawal of the previous letter.

In a fresh move, JP on Friday removed Ranga from the post of opposition chief whip in parliament and the primary membership of the party, which created another dispute and intensified tension.

Party Chairman Quader took the decision by exercising his power bestowed upon him by the clause 22 (2) of the party charter, said a press release.

But Raushon in a media release on Saturday claimed that Ranga was not removed from the post of opposition chief whip and no letter was sent to the Speaker in this regard, saying that it is only the Speaker who has the authority to disclose the removal of anyone from any post in the House. “Neither the parliamentary group nor the leader or deputy leader of the party can disclose such a decision. Or the decision of the party is not considered final. The party just can appeal only to the Speaker,” said Raushon.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader told UNB that all MPs participated in a meeting on September 1 agreed on the decision to change the leader of opposition and then they sent a letter to Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in this regard. But the issue has still remained pending, he said.