Court orders GM Quader to refrain from party activities

Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman GM Quader has been ordered by a Dhaka court to refrain from party activities.

Judge Masudul Haque of Dhaka Joint District Judge Court gave the order on Monday (31 October).

A copy of the court's order was later submitted to Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury by Opposition Chief Whip Moshiur Rahman Ranga on Tuesday, said party sources.

According to the court order, GM Quader cannot take any decision of the party as long as the temporary ban is in place.

The ban comes in a case filed against GM Quader by former JaPa MP Ziaul Haque Mridha who was expelled from the party on 4 October.

Mridha, on Wednesday, claimed at a press briefing that the move to relieve him from all Jatiya Party (JaPa) posts and activities was "illegal."

"Raushon Ershad's JaPa is the real party," Mridha said, urging the present JaPa chairman to step down from his post immediately.

Mridha's removal came during conflict between GM Quader and Raushon Ershad over the control of the party ahead of the next general election.

On 31 August last, JaPa Chief Patron and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Raushon suddenly convened the party's national council for 26 November.

A day later, Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party wrote to Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury requesting her to make Quader the leader of the opposition, dropping Raushon.

In a statement on 2 September, GM Quader said a third party was trying to implement an agenda by using the name of Raushon.

About the court order against Quader, Former law minister Barrister Shafique Ahmed told The Business Standard that if the aggrieved person believes he has not got fair justice, he has the scope to appeal to high court.

"The high court will decide whether the order is correct or not," said Shafique Ahmed.

Supreme Court Advocate Shahdeen Malik said if any member's activities violate party constitution, cases can be filed.

"But this type of case is rare," he said.

GM Quader could not be reached for comments on the matter. 

However, his lawyer Rezaul Islam Bhuyan, who is also, a presidium member of Jaitya Party (JaPa) said they will collect the certified copy and then take the next decision. 

"If needed, we will go to the high court," he said.