In a major change, the main opposition Jatiya Party today amended its charter in a bid to give Raushan Ershad the highest rank and honour from the party through creating a new post ‘chief patron’.

The party also amended its charter to introduce eight new posts of additional secretary generals and seven new posts of co-chairmen.

The move was taken to pacify a section of party leaders who want to see Raushan, incumbent senior co-chairperson of JP and opposition leader as the chairperson in its ninth council to be held tomorrow at the city’s Institution of Engineers.

The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the party held at JP chairman’s Banani office today.

The decision to amend the charter will have to be approved in tomorrow’s council, JP insiders said.

Talking to reporters after the presidium meeting, JP secretary general Moshiur Rahman Ranga said Raushan Ershad, wife of JP founder HM Ershad will remain in the post of chief patron till her last breath while the highest power will remain in the hands of GM Quader.

Quader will preside over all meetings of the party, he added.

About the status of the post in the party, Ranga said Raushan will enjoy the highest honour in the party in all general meetings and other programme of the party.

“The party’s chairman [GM Quader] has also told that everywhere her position will remain above the post of the party’s chairman.

After the demise of HM Ershad on July 14, GM Quader was declared as the JP chairman, which was opposed by Raushan’s faction.

Factions of Raushan and GM Quader, after several meetings in September, came to an understanding that Quader would remain the chairperson, while Raushan would be the opposition leader.