Ranga: Want to participate in Rangpur 3 by-polls as grand alliance

Jatiya Party (JaPa) has asked to participate in the by-election for Rangpur 3 constituency, under the grand alliance led by ruling party Awami League.

Jatiya Party Secretary General Md Mashiur Rahman Ranga also requested Awami League not to provide a candidate for the seat, which was left vacant after the constituency's lawmaker, and party Chairman, HM Ershad died.

"Even though we [JaPa] are the opposition now, we participated in the 11th general election as the grand alliance," Ranga said while talking to reporters after attending Ershad's qulkhani at Palli Nibash in Darshana in Rangpur city on Saturday. 

"I request Awami League to not provide a candidate for Rangpur 3, in honour of Ershad," he said.

Ranga further said that his party had waited until Ershad's qulkhani to decide upon the candidates for the by-election. 

"A committee has been made, with party Chairman GM Quader and other presidium members, who will nominate the candidates," the secretary general said. 

Meanwhile, Ershad's son Saad Ershad told reporters that if his party nominates him, he is willing to stand as a candidate for the Rangpur 3 constituency. 

"I want to complete all the developmental work my father started, and stand by the people of Rangpur," he said. 

Earlier in the day, Ranga, alongside Saad, JaPa leader Nasim Osman and other party leaders, visited Ershad's grave to offer their prayers. 

Later, thousands of people gathered at the Palli Nibash to attend Ershad's qulkhani.

HM Ershad, Former Chairman of Jatiya Party, passed away at Dhaka's Combined Military Hospital (CMH) on July 14, while undergoing treatment there. He was 89 at the time of his demise.