Ershad removed as PM’s special envoy
HM Ershad is no more serving as the prime minister’s special envoy after getting the speaker’s approval as the leader of the official opposition in parliament.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina terminated the Jatiya Party chief’s appointment as her special envoy on Jan 7, the Cabinet Division communicated in an order on Friday.
The Awami League has formed government for the thirds consecutive term after a landslide election victory.
The ruling party secured 257 seats in the 11th parliamentary polls held on Dec 30 while its key ally the Jatiya Party became the official opposition in parliament by winning 22 constituencies.
The BNP and its allies, which won only eight seats, have rejected the results and demanded fresh polls. Their MPs-elect have not taken oath.
The Jatiya Party became the opposition in parliament with its leaders in the government as well after the 2014 general election boycotted by the BNP.
Criticised for its failure to hold the government to account in parliament, the Jatiya Party was derided as a “domesticated opposition” by the BNP.
Ershad had been hospitalised before the 2014 elections and announced a boycott of the polls.
But after much drama, he was elected MP and later Hasina appointed him as her special envoy with the rank of minister.
Ershad’s wife and the party’s Senior Co-Chairman Raushon Ershad worked as the leader of the official opposition in the 10th parliament.
Hasina has not kept anyone from the Jatiya Party and other allies of the Awami League in her new cabinet sworn in on Jan 7.
Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury on Thursday ratified Ershad as the leader of the official opposition in parliament and his brother and Jatiya Party Co-Chairman GM Quader as deputy leader of the official opposition.
