Violating clauses of a Trust deed Bidisha Sidiqque, divorced wife of former president, military dictator and Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad, is staying in a flat at the President Parks at Baridhara, belonging to late president Hussain Muhammad Ershad, now handed over to a Trust.
HM Ershad had formed the Trust and donated all his assets to it.
According to the Trust deed, HM Ershad clearly named the beneficiaries of the Trust as 'the trust is established for the benefit of Hussain Muhammad Earshad and Shahta Zarab Ershad (Eric) son of Hussain Muhammad Ershad and for social, religious and charitable work.
"Mentioned that, the beneficiaries or their legal heir or heirs or successor or successors especially Shahta Zarab Ershad (Eric's) mother Bidisha Sidiqque shall never claim this trust properties, assets or funds. Such types of claim should be void, illegal and unacceptable in the eye of law of the land."
Meanwhile, Bidisha, former second wife of Ershad, has been staying at President Park (according to the trust schedule property A) in the capital's Baridhara since November 14 of 2019.
On November 22 in 2019, GD was lodged with the Gulshan Police Station by acting chairman Maj (retd) Khaled Akhtar on behalf of the board of trustees. The GD said Bidisha entered President Park illegally and the board was fearing that it might pose a threat to Eric's life and assets.
HM Ershad, died on July 14 in 2019. Before his death, Ershad on April 7 of 2019 donated all his movable and immovable properties to the Trust. The board members were HM Ershad, his son Shahta Zarab Ershad (Eric), Ershad's personal secretary Shamsuzzaman Mukul, his cousin Md Jahangir Alam and Maj (Retd) Khaled.
However, three of the Hussain Muhammad Earshad Trust members-HM Ershad, Md Jahangir Alam and Maj (retd) Khaled died within a short time of each other. Maj (retd) Khaled Akhtar, chairman of Ershad Trust, and a former presidium member of Jatiya Party, died on July 11 in 2020 after a long battle with deadly coronavirus.
According to another document dated February 12 of 2020, the Board of Directors of the Hussain Muhammad Earshad Trust for 2020-2021 was formed with seven members-Maj (retd) Khaled Akhtar, Shamsuzzaman Mukul, Shahta Zarab Ershad (Eric) Jahangir Alam, SM Fakur Uz Zaman, Md Mamunur Rashid and Kazi Rubayat Hasan.
According to the Hussain Muhammad Earshad Trust the signature of two deceases, Maj (retd) Khaled and Jahangir Alam, were signed in English, while, Maj (retd) Khaled and Jahangir Alam's names were signed in Bangla in the later document.
It is mentionable that Bidisha Sidiqque was the main witness of the affidavit by the notary public.
The Hussain Muhammad Ershad deed stipulates that the number of the member of the Board of Director shall be five. According to the Trust rules, the Trust will be managed by a board of trustees consisting of not less than three and not more than five trustees.
It shows that forming another board of director with seven members was a gross violation of the Trust rule.
Bidisha and Ershad got dramatically married in 2000. They divorced five years later. The couple fought a legal battle to have custody of the child Eric. A court delivered a verdict in favour of Ershad.
HM Ershad has left behind two sons and at least two adopted children. In 1983, when Ershad was the chief martial law administrator, a formal announcement was made about the birth of his son Shad Ershad. Ershad's other son, Eric Ershad, was born from his relationship with his second wife Bidisha. The couple divorced in 2005 amid a 'political drama' and Ershad was granted the custody of Eric by a court. Eric, a special child, is currently 20 years old. He used to live with his father in President Park in Baridhara. Two sons of HM Ershad were mired in a controversy.
Ershad's adopted son Arman Ershad is 27. His only foster daughter, 37-year-old Jebin, is now married and lives in London.
HM Ershad left out his wife Raushan Ershad, MP, his brother GM Quader, chairman of Jatiya Party, two other sons and his daughter from the Trustee board.
Meanwhile, HM Ershad has another Trust in the name of his father Mokbul Hossain. The Mokbul Hossain General Hospital in Rangpur is operated by the Mokbul Hossain Trust. This property is also under Hussain Muhammad Ershad Trust according to the Trust schedule D.
HM Golam Reza, former lawmaker from Satkhira-4 constituency and former Jatiya Party whip told the Daily Observer on Wednesday, "Ershad Sir told me that Bidisha Sidiqque shall never claim the trust properties, assets or funds."
He added, "Sir also registered the Trust deed and told me categorically that such a claim will be void, illegal and unacceptable in the eye to the law of the land." Golam Reza also filed a case against the Hussain Muhammad Ershad Trust claiming ownership of most of the assets of the Trust.
