The Appellate Division on Wednesday barred GM Quader from performing his duties as Jatiya Party (JaPa) chairman citing the party's organogram.

A five-judge bench chaired by Chief Justice (CJ) Hasan Foez Siddique passed the order after hearing a petition that challenged the legality of GM Quader's election as JaPa chief on Wednesday. 

The petition was filed by former JaPa lawmaker Ziaul Haque Mridha.

The apex court also ordered the concerned lower court to dismiss the ongoing case in this regard by 9 January.

At the same time, the Appellate Division stayed the High Court (HC) order that had cleared the way for GM Quader to perform his duties as JaPa chairman by staying a lower court embargo till 3 January following a revision petition.

JaPa suspended its leader and former MP Ziaul Haque Mridha filed the case against GM Quader on 4 October.

On 30 October, Dhaka Joint District Sessions Judge Court-1 issued a temporary embargo on the political activities of GM Quader.

On 6 October, several lawyers including Sheikh Sirajul Islam and Kalim Ullah Majumdar stood for GM Quader with a petition to withdraw the ban on his political activities at the court.

In the petition, the lawyers also urged the court to lift the embargo to play his role as Chairman as per the constitution of the party that was dismissed by the same court on 16 November.

Later, Quader filed a revision petition with the HC challenging the lower court order.

According to the case statement, the party's founder HM Ershad died on 14 September 2019.

Quader declared himself as chairman of the party through forgery at a council on 28 December 2019 when a writ petition case was pending at the HC.

Later, Quader as party chairman fired several leaders including Ranga, Gazipur metropolitan unit's advisor Ataur Rahman Sarkar and Organising Secretary Sabur Sikdar, among others, by exercising his power as per the constitution of the party.

Besides, Ranga was also removed from the post of presidium member of the party on 14 September and Advocate Ziaul Hoque Mridha from the party on 17 September.

In the case, orders were sought to declare all removals from 28 December 2019, to 17 September 2022 and council as illegal while the next council of the party to keep stayed unless the HC writ petition is disposed of.