JaPa elects GM Quader as opposition leader

Staff Reporter :
Jatiya Party (JaPa) Chairman Golam Mohammad Quader has been nominated as the Leader of the Opposition in parliament by his own party.

Besides, the party’s Co-Chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud and Secretary General Mujibul Huq Chunnu have been nominated as Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chief Whip of the Opposition respectively.

Besides, party MP Hafiz Uddin Ahmed was elected as opposition party whip.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Jatiya Party Parliamentary Party held at the office of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Thursday.

It was also decided to inform Jatiya Sangsad Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury about the JaPa MPs decision in written later.

Jatiya Party bagged 11 seats in the 12th national election, while independent candidates won in 62 constituencies. As a result, it became unclear who is going to sit on the opposition side in the new parliament.

However, the JaPa on Thursday elected Leader of the Opposition, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chief Whip of the Opposition in the national Parliament. Now the matter depends on the Speaker.

JaPa Secretary General Mujibul Huq Chunnu told the journalists that their party is going to sit on the opposition side in parliament.

There is no scope for any other party or group to become opposition in parliament right now.

Meeting sources said that Japa MPs expressed anger over getting no associations from the EC and the government during the January 7 polls.

They angered over ruling Awami League party’s independent candidates grabbed the constituencies which the ruling party has been given to the Japa.