Confusion has arisen as the top leadership of the Opposition Jatiya Party has made a repeated announcement over giving the party post to its MP Rahgir Alam Mahir alias Saad Ershad.
On Friday (Jan 17), Saad, the son of JP founder HM Ershad, was elevated to the post of a joint secretary by the JP Chairman GM Quader, said a party statement.
Two days ago, JP 'Chief Patron' Raushan Ershad declared him the party's co-chairman on Wednesday (Jan 15).
A lawmaker from Rangpur 3, Saad ventured into politics following the death of his father and former military dictator Ershad in July last year.
As Ershad's death left Rangpur 3 constituency vacant, Saad contested the by-polls and went to become a member of parliament. He subsequently was made the JP's joint-secretary general.
Later on, JP made Ershad's bother Quader the party chairman and his wife Raushan the 'chief patron'.
Amid the leadership change in the party, JP chief Quader, on Den 38 last year, made five party leaders co-chairman, eight others additional secretary-general and 37 more the presidium member of the party with Saad being left out.
Angered over Quader's move, his mother Raushan stepped in with making 16 leaders co-chairman including Saad.
Three days later, JP chief Quader announced the names of four advisers, 37 vice-chairmen and 14 joint -general secretaries with Saad being reinstated, creating confusion over which post the late JP founder's son, in fact, holds in the party.
JP chief Quader referred a Bangla Tribune request for comment to his press secretary.
"Saad is a joint-secretary general now as he was before," Sunil Shuvo, press secretary to Quader, told Bangla Tribune.
JP Secretary General Manhur Rahman Ranga told Bangla Tribune that Raushan Earshad has no executive power to take a party decision. "The party constitution bestows the power to the chairman," he added.
"Party chairman has made him (Saad) joint-secretary general and it's his post. The position given by Raushan Ershad is not acceptable," Ranga said.
JP leaders loyal to Rushan, too, echoed their top leadership.
Citing the chief patron post as 'honorary', JP Presidum member Fysal Islam Chisti said the distribution of post by Raushan goes against the party constitution.
"She could have recommended the names to the chairman," he added.
Bangla Tribune could not reach Raushan and Saad for comment.

JP chief Quader referred a Bangla Tribune request for comment to his press secretary.