AL re-elects Hasina, Quader to lead party
This will be 10th consecutive term for Sheikh Hasina as the party president and third term in a row for Obaidul Quader as the general secretary
Highlights
- Hasina serving the party chief post since 1981, Quader 2016
- Around 7,000 councillors joined the 22nd national council
- The new committee has a small number of reshuffles, changes
- Amid turbulences, it will guide AL to the next election in 2024
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been re-elected as the chief of ruling Awami League for the 10th consecutive term, and Obaidul Quader as the general secretary for the third term in a row amid preparedness for general elections early-2024.
The 22nd national council of the ruling party re-elected its top leadership in a closed-door session at an auditorium in Dhaka on Saturday, following a huge rally at Suhrawardy Udyan.
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Sheikh Hasina has been serving the party chief position since 1981. Obaidul Quader assumed office in 2016 and set a milestone through the re-election to steer the party amid a turbulent political and economic situation.
So far, nine leaders including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman served as the AL general secretary for the highest four terms each.
Organising the party and running the country at the same time is a difficult task. I am accepting it, but the party needs new leadership, says Sheikh Hasina
Nearly 7,000 councillors from across Bangladesh joined the Saturday council. Eight councillors from eight party divisions spoke after the council session started at 3 pm in the Engineers Institution auditorium. The session approved the budget, revised declaration and party constitution.
After that, the previous committee was dissolved as an election commission took charge to select the new leadership.
According to party sources, Amir Hossain Amu, a member of Awami League's advisory council, proposed Sheikh Hasina's name as president in the session. Dinajpur District Awami League President Mostafizur Rahman Fizar supported the proposal and subsequently it was accepted in the council.
Awami League senior leader and Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar proposed the name of Obaidul Quader. Dhaka District Awami League General Secretary Paniruzzaman Tarun supported it.
After being elected as the president, Sheikh Hasina said, "Organising the party and running the country at the same time is a difficult task. I am accepting it, but the party needs new leadership."
Few changes
Apart from the president and general secretary posts, there has been a few reshuffles in the new committee.
Sujit Roy Nandi, social welfare and relief secretary of the old committee, has been elected as the organising secretary of Awami League. Sakhawat Hossain Shafiq, one of eight organising secretaries of the previous committee, did not get any post.
Other seven organising secretaries of the old committee are in the same post in the new one.
Aminul Islam Amin has been announced as the relief and social welfare secretary. Nurul Islam Nahid has been shifted from the praesidium to the advisory council. Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin has been announced as a new member of the praesidium.
Councillors said only the names of the president and general secretary were proposed, as the election commission announced the names for the remaining posts.
The names of 28 members of the central committee are yet to be announced. It was informed in the session that the members will be announced in the praesidium meeting.
Earlier in the morning, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the council by releasing pigeons. After the first session there, the council session of the conference started at 3pm in the afternoon in the auditorium.
Yusuf Hussain Humayun, a member of the party's advisory council, led the three-member election commission.
We believe in voting rights: Hasina
In her speech as the chief guest at the opening ceremony, Sheikh Hasina said her party believes in the voting rights of the people and thus has never interfered with the works of the election commission (EC).
Referring to various measures taken by her government, including enactment of the new law to appoint chief election commissioner and commissioners for the election commission, she once again assured all of holding the next general election in a free and fair manner.
"If we have any intention of stealing votes of the people, then we would have formed an Aziz-style election commission as Khaleda Zia did. But we did not do that as we have confidence and trust in the people," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said the leaders and activists of her party will march ahead in unison by confronting all the conspiracies and hurdles and build a prosperous, developed and smart Bangladesh by 2041.
"Attacks and conspiracies will come. But we want the leaders and activists of the Awami League to step forward together facing the conspiracies," she said.
"The interests of the country will not be compromised," she further said, adding the progress of the country was made possible by the continuity of the government.
Partymen vow support to build 'Smart Bangladesh'
Grassroots-level Awami League leaders and activists who came to the national council promised cooperation to the new leadership and support for the victory of boat in the next national election.
They also vowed support to the government in implementing the slogan of this year's council theme "Smart Bangladesh".
They said they cannot think of anyone other than Sheikh Hasina for the highest post of Awami League.
In the first session of the council, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader presented the organisational report.
He said that Awami League leaders and activists are ready to face terrorism, arson and anti-government movement. He said that the game was on against vote frauds, looting and money laundering.
