Rangpur JP leaders refuse to return body of Ershad

Staff Correspondent, Rangpur: Leaders of Rangpur unit Jatiya Party (JP) refused to return the body of party’s Chairman HM Ershad who passed away on Sunday (July 14).

Party senior leaders decided to bury the former president at Banani Military Graveyard in the capital following his death on Sunday.

Protesting the decision, Jatiya party’s Rangpur and Rajshahi units held a joint meeting at the party’s Rangpur city unit office on Monday noon.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Rangpur unit Jatiya Party (JP) president and Rangpur City Corporation Mayor Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa announced to thwart any move to bury party’s Chairman HM Ershad in the capital.

Mostafizur Rahman Mostafa said they have decided to bury Ershad in Rangpur at any cost. “He will be buried in Rangpur”.

He said Ershad’s body will be brought to Rangpur from Dhaka on Tuesday morning for a janaza. “If any evil effort is made to take back his body from Rangpur after the janaza, our leaders and activists will resist it even, if necessary at the cost blood.”

Before his death, Mostafa said Ershad had expressed his desire to be buried at his Rangpur residence ‘Polli Nibash’. “So, we won’t allow anybody to bury him at any other place outside Rangpur.”

He also alleged that the decision to bury Ershad at Banani Military Graveyard was taken as part of a plot to isolate him from common people. ”We, the people of northern region won’t allow anyone to implement such a plot.”

Later, Mostafa along with party leaders began the digging of a grave at Polli Nibash’s Litchi Orchard.

Ershad, a former military ruler, breathed his last at 7:45am on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka.

risingbd/Rangpur/July 15, 2019/Nazrul Mridha/AI