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Quitting 'by post'

Resignation letters of JP ministers, adviser 'sent to president'

Staff Correspondent
All six Jatiya Party ministers and an adviser to the prime minister yesterday sent their resignation letters to the premier by post, said party's Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader.
"We tried to get an appointment with the prime minister since morning [yesterday] but did not get it because she was busy. So, we have decided to send the letters by post," said Howlader, also a minister of the election-time cabinet, before posting the letters.
GM Quader, commerce minister, said they were withdrawing their support from the government led
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by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The resignation letters were sent to the PM by registered post in the afternoon for submission to the president, Howlader added.
The JP ministers had not attended their offices at Bangladesh Secretariat and would not attend the cabinet meeting today, said a number of ministers.
"I submitted my resignation letter to the party president on Thursday. So, I can't attend the cabinet meeting anymore," Mujibul Haq Chunnu, state minister for youth and sports, told The Daily Star yesterday.
Contacted, Salma Islam, state minister for women and children affairs, echoed the same.
A JP leader told The Daily Star that the JP chairman HM Ershad asked them not to join today's cabinet meeting no matter whether their resignation letters reached the Prime Minister's Office or not.
In an interview with BBC Bangla service, Ershad said the only way to resolve the present political stalemate is through the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from her post.
Asked about the effectiveness of JP ministers' resignation letters, jurist Shahdeen Malik said legally their letters seem to have been delivered to the prime ministers and they would not remain as ministers from tomorrow.
According to article 58 (1) of the constitution, a minister needs to submit his/her resignation letter to the prime minister for submission to the president.
Their resignation may remain pending for some time as President Abdul Hamid is scheduled to leave Dhaka today for South Africa to attend the funeral of Nelson Mandela scheduled for December 15.
A senior AL leader yesterday said it would take some days to reach the resignation letters to the president. The situation might change by that time, he added.
Howlader, civil aviation and tourism minister, Raushan Ershad, health minister, Anisul Islam Mahmud, water resources minister, Chunnu and Salma Islam were
inducted in the election-time government on November 18.
Another Jatiya Party leader Ziauddin Bablu was appointed as an adviser to the prime minister with a minister status. GM Quader was inducted into Hasina's cabinet in January 2009 and has been holding the portfolio of the commerce minister till his resignation.
They quit the election-time cabinet of Hasina in efforts to put pressure on the government not to hold the general election slated for January 5 amid boycott by the opposition.
The JP has also directed its leaders to withdraw the nomination papers they have filed to contest the polls.
Since HM Ershad announced to quit the government and polls citing absence of atmosphere for a free and fair election on December 3, the government and the ruling AL have been making hectic efforts to force him to change his mind.
Later, Ershad slapped condition on the government that his party would contest the polls if the schedule was revised and all parties contested.
A number of senior AL leaders said questions have been raised regarding the January 5 elections since the opposition is not taking part. They would have to face more questions since the JP has withdrawn.
"But we are bound to hold the polls to uphold the constitution," said a senior AL leader.
HOWLADERGALLS ON PRESIDENT
JP Secretary General Ruhul Amin Howlader last night called on President Abdul Hamid at Bangabhaban to inquire about his health condition.
They discussed the country's latest political situation including holding of a free, fair and inclusive general election, Hawlader told The Daily Star emerging from an hour-long meeting.
He also said the president expressed his "concern" over the ongoing political violence in the country.