Court lifts ban on GM Quader’s party activities after plaintiff withdraws case

A Dhaka court has lifted the temporary injunction that had barred Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader from carrying out organisational activities, clearing the way for him to resume party work.

The order came after former senior co-chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud and several leaders held a rival “unity conference” against Quader’s leadership.

Anisul withdrew his case, prompting Dhaka Sixth Additional District Judge Robyet Ferdous on Tuesday to cancel the injunction, Quader’s lawyer said.

The court also withdrew a similar injunction on the party’s joint office secretary, Mahmud Alam. Quader’s lawyer Monowar Hossain Alam said Anisul applied to withdraw the case on Aug 2.

The case was transferred on Aug 11 from the First Joint District Judge’s Court to the Sixth, which approved the withdrawal the next day and lifted the bans.

On Jul 30, the court had imposed temporary restrictions on Quader and Mahmud’s organisational roles, and also on the dismissal of 10 leaders by Quader. On Jun 28, Quader had removed the 10, including presidium members, from all posts and erased their names from the party’s website.

The ousted leaders sued Quader and three others, including the chief election commissioner and the EC secretary, on Jul 10.

Among the plaintiffs, Anisul, ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader and Mujibul Haque Chunnu later led a faction allied with Raushan Ershad to form a separate committee.

On Aug 9, Anisul was made chairman, Howlader secretary general, Kazi Firoz Rashid senior co-chairman, and Chunnu executive chairman of the faction.

Founded by former military ruler HM Ershad, the Jatiya Party has been in disarray since the fall of the Awami League government in 2024. Senior leaders seeking to break ties with the AL moved to unseat Quader, deepening the party’s splits.