Roshan Ershad, the main sponsor of the Jatiya Party (Japa) and the leader of the opposition in the parliament, returned to the country today after four and a half months of treatment in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand. He is now fairly healthy. However, it is not clear how much relief Roshan’s return to the country will bring to the party after suddenly calling a Japa conference and causing a split in the party. However, the activities of his followers around Roshan Ershad gained momentum.
According to several sources close to Roshan, after landing in Dhaka from Bangkok today, Mosiur Rahman (Ranga) and Golam Masih tried to announce Abdur Rauf (Manik) as a candidate for the post of mayor in the Rangpur City Corporation election by giving Roshan at the airport. But he did not announce the candidate. However, earlier in the Rangpur City Corporation election, the current mayor and member of the party’s presidium Mostafizar Rahman has been announced by JAPA as a candidate for the post of mayor. His position in the area is also good. Now if anyone other than Mustafizar is announced as a candidate, the split in Zapa will become even more evident.
Abdur Rauf was an adviser to Japa’s chairman, who was sacked from the party last September on charges of breaching party discipline. Japa’s responsible sources said that another leader, Mosiur Rahman, and Roshan’s political secretary, Golam Masih, who were released from the party, were more active in making Abdur Rauf a Japa candidate. Mayor Mustafizar has a conflict with Mosiur Rahman in Rangpur politics. Recently, when Mosiur Rahman took a stand against Japa chairman GM Quader, Mustafiza took a strong stand against Mosiur.
In the meantime, rumors are spreading among the leaders and activists that a leader close to Roshan has taken financial advantage to make Abdur Rauf the candidate for the mayor of Japa. Roshan Ershad heard the matter while in Bangkok. As a result, he did not agree to come down to Dhaka today and announce the candidate at the airport. He told the reporters at the airport that in Rangpur, former President Hussain Muhammad Ershad’s beloved and worthy candidate of his choice will be announced as the mayoral candidate of Langal.
Meanwhile, several related sources said that because Abdur Rauf was not announced as a candidate, the leaders working for his nomination were disappointed. Abdur Rauf also expressed disappointment.
Abdur Rauf told Prothom Alo at around 8:30 this night, “I have bought the nomination papers to be a candidate of the National Party.” Madam (Roshan) has not announced yet, maybe she will at night. You talk to Ranga (Masiur Rahman) brother.’
When Mosiur Rahman was contacted on the phone, a person identifying himself as his personal assistant said, ‘Sir, you are in a meeting now.’
According to Japa’s responsible sources, the activities of a section of Japa’s former and expelled leaders have started after Roshan’s return to the country. As a result, when Japa’s internal dispute over the ‘control’ of the party is heating up ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections, various discussions are going on in the party about whether Roshan’s return to the country will increase or decrease the dispute
