AL set to drum up public support
Abu Jakir
The Awami League (AL) has decided to launch a massive campaign from January next year as part of its preparations for the next general elections. Sources said that the next general election might be held in December 2018. According to party insiders, AL president Sheikh Hasina has already directed the partys central leaders to frequently visit different organisational districts to project the governments success stories.
Hasina, who is also the Prime Minister, has asked AL general secretary Obaidul Quader to distribute divisional responsibilities by forming eight teams with the central leaders, including two presidium members for each team. Talking to this correspondent, AL presidium member Muhammad Faruk Khan said Hasina has directed them to fan out across the country to project the governments development activities before the people.
He also said the main objectives of the massive drive are to strengthen the organisation at the grassroots level by minimising intra-party feuds and to mobilise public support in favour of the party as part of the campaign for the next general election. Another objective of our drive is to collect latest information at the grassroots level and keep our party chief informed about the current condition of our party, he added.
Earlier, on Saturday evening, a meeting of AL presidium members was held at Hasinas official residence, Gana Bhaban. Sources said the party chief had touched upon various issues, including organisational and party preparations for next national polls, at the meeting.
The party chief had also asked the central leaders not to get involved in any criminal activities or internal conflicts ahead of the next general election, the sources added.
Well start visiting each district from the January next year to unite party leaders and workers at the grassroots level. In some places, our party leaders have been divided over establishing supremacy in their respective areas. Well minismise such conflicts, said AL joint general secretary Abdur Rahman.
When contacted, Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, AL office secretary and special assistant to the Prime Minister, said the party will form eight strong teams comprising central leaders, including presidium members, within this week and then make a plan to visit the 78 organisational districts. The teams will tour the country from the January next year. The main objective is to contact people and highlight the governments development activities as part of the preparations for the next polls, he added.
Meanwhile, the party high-ups have already distributed divisional responsibilities among its four joint general secretaries and eight organising secretaries to strengthen the organisation from the central level to the grassroots level. The joint general secretaries have been appointed for two divisions each.
Among the joint general secretaries, Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif have been entrusted with the responsibilities for Chittagong and Sylhet, Dipu Moni for Dhaka and Mymensingh, Jahangir Kabir Nanak for Rangpur and Rajshahi, and Abdur Rahman for Barisal and Khulna.
Among the organising secretaries, Ahmed Hossain has got Sylhet, Misbah Uddin Siraj has bagged Mymensingh, BM Mozammel Huq has been given Rangpur, AFM Bahauddin Nasim has got Barisal, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim has been tasked with Chittagong, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury has bagged Rajshahi, Abu Saeed Al Mahmud Swapan has been given Khulna, and Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury has been made responsible for Dhaka.
