Quader has the last laugh

Road transport and bridges minister elected AL general secretary; outgoing GS Syed Ashraf among 7 new members in presidium

Ending all speculations over the past few days, Obaidul Quader was elected unopposed the Awami League general secretary to have the last laugh on the concluding day of the two-day 20th national council of ruling Awami League yesterday.
He replaced Syed Ashraful Islam who had adorned the number two position in the party for two consecutive terms. Sheikh Hasina, as expected, was elected party president for the eight consecutive terms amid cheers and slogans of the councillors and delegates at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital.
The duo was elected for the next three years to run the country’s oldest and largest political party through the two-day triennial council.
AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury proposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s name for the post of the party president, which was accepted unanimously by the councillors.
During the announcement of Sheikh Hasina’s name as the next president of the party, the leaders and workers as well as 6,570 councillors chanted slogans in her name and that of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After the announcement of Hasina as party president, Syed Ashraf, also public administration minister, proposed the name of Obaidul Quader as his successor -- much to the surprise of hundreds of his followers who wanted to see him in the post for the third straight term. Party councillor Jahangir Kabir Nanak seconded the proposal.
After the election of president and secretary of the party for the next three years, Sheikh Hasina announced the names of the members of her party’s presidium. The presidium members are: Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim, Kazi Jafarullah, Syed Ashraful Islam, Shahara Khatun, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Nurul Islam Nahid, Dr Abdur Razzak, Muhammad Faruk Khan, advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Ramesh Chandra Sen and Pijush Bhattacharya. Then, the party president announced the names of her party’s joint general secretaries. They are Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman.
After these announcements, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, “I have been the party president for the past 35 years. But one day I will have to retire and someone will have to take over the responsibility of the party in the near future. So, you should make preparations for the next time.”
“Pray for me so that I can run the party properly. Sometimes I make mistakes and hurt some of my party leaders—please forgive me,” she said.
HN Ashiqur Rahman retained his post as the treasurer of the Bangladesh Awami League.
At the same time, the AL president also said the names of the remaining committee members would be announced later following consultations with members of the party’s presidium.  
Meanwhile, the council approved the party’s declaration paper and the party’s constitution, and brought about some major changes in these.
Dr Abdur Razzak, convener of constitution sub-committee of the council, presented amendments to the party constitution.
As per the amendment, the size of national committee will be 180 in place of the existing 166. The committee will hold meeting once a year instead of every six months. However, the meeting may be held more than once a year if the party president wishes. The number of presidium members will be increased to 19, including party president and general secretary, from the existing 15 while that of joint secretaries to 4 from the existing three. Besides, there will be eight organising secretaries in place of seven. There will be a 19-member Local Govt Nomination Board for party nomination in the local government bodies.
The party brought about changes in Section 18 of its previous constitution, wherein it was stipulated that the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) shall comprise a total of 73 members, including the president, presidium members, general secretaries, secretaries of the executive committee and treasurer, and 26 members who would be nominated by the party president in consultation with the presidium members. Under the new decision, the committee was expanded to 83 members.
The size of district committee was expanded to 81 from the existing 71, the Metropolitan City committee was enlarged to 81 from 71 and thana committees to 77 members from 67. The size of the thana- and ward-level committees would also be increased, as per the new decision.
The party councillors also approved its declaration paper through the 20th council session, aiming to turn Bangladesh into Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s ‘Sonar Bangla’ within 2041 by implementing 10 mega projects one after another and by establishing hundreds of economic zones. AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim placed the draft of the declaration before the councillors, iterating that the aims and objectives of the Awami League were to turn Bangladesh into a self-dependent state by ensuring all fundamental rights for the country’s people from all walks of life by the deadline.
“In our 46-page declaration paper, it has been mentioned that no election would be allowed in the country under the supervision of an unelected government and no one would be allowed to take over state power unconstitutionally through the backdoor,” he said.  The party’s next election manifesto would be prepared on the basis of this declaration paper, he added.
In line with the 7th Five Year Plan, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh will be turned into a middle-income state by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, where the common citizens of the country would live in prosperity and have equitable access to quality education, healthcare, rule of law and employment opportunities, he added.  The ongoing war crimes trials would go on as long as a single war criminal remains, a view that has also found mention in the declaration paper of the party, he added.
He said at present, over 70 per cent of the country’s total population is young. The young population would have to be used in the ongoing development activities by creating employment opportunities for them.
He said the party’s declaration paper was drafted in line with the Seventh Five Year Plan of the government in a bid to build a hunger- and poverty-free Bangladesh, as dreamt of by  Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
After his speech on the declaration paper was completed, the councillors passed it unanimously.
The two-day-long 20th council ended amidst a festive mood in the capital. Over 50,000 people attended the council session.

 

Quader has the last laugh

Road transport and bridges minister elected AL general secretary; outgoing GS Syed Ashraf among 7 new members in presidium

Ending all speculations over the past few days, Obaidul Quader was elected unopposed the Awami League general secretary to have the last laugh on the concluding day of the two-day 20th national council of ruling Awami League yesterday. He replaced Syed Ashraful Islam who had adorned the number two position in the party for two consecutive terms. Sheikh Hasina, as expected, was elected party president for the eight consecutive terms amid cheers and slogans of the councillors and delegates at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in the capital. The duo was elected for the next three years to run the countrys oldest and largest political party through the two-day triennial council. AL presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury proposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas name for the post of the party president, which was accepted unanimously by the councillors. During the announcement of Sheikh Hasinas name as the next president of the party, the leaders and workers as well as 6,570 councillors chanted slogans in her name and that of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After the announcement of Hasina as party president, Syed Ashraf, also public administration minister, proposed the name of Obaidul Quader as his successor -- much to the surprise of hundreds of his followers who wanted to see him in the post for the third straight term. Party councillor Jahangir Kabir Nanak seconded the proposal. After the election of president and secretary of the party for the next three years, Sheikh Hasina announced the names of the members of her partys presidium. The presidium members are: Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammad Nasim, Kazi Jafarullah, Syed Ashraful Islam, Shahara Khatun, Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Nurul Islam Nahid, Dr Abdur Razzak, Muhammad Faruk Khan, advocate Abdul Mannan Khan, Ramesh Chandra Sen and Pijush Bhattacharya. Then, the party president announced the names of her partys joint general secretaries. They are Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman. After these announcements, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said, I have been the party president for the past 35 years. But one day I will have to retire and someone will have to take over the responsibility of the party in the near future. So, you should make preparations for the next time. Pray for me so that I can run the party properly. Sometimes I make mistakes and hurt some of my party leadersplease forgive me, she said. HN Ashiqur Rahman retained his post as the treasurer of the Bangladesh Awami League. At the same time, the AL president also said the names of the remaining committee members would be announced later following consultations with members of the partys presidium. Meanwhile, the council approved the partys declaration paper and the partys constitution, and brought about some major changes in these. Dr Abdur Razzak, convener of constitution sub-committee of the council, presented amendments to the party constitution. As per the amendment, the size of national committee will be 180 in place of the existing 166. The committee will hold meeting once a year instead of every six months. However, the meeting may be held more than once a year if the party president wishes. The number of presidium members will be increased to 19, including party president and general secretary, from the existing 15 while that of joint secretaries to 4 from the existing three. Besides, there will be eight organising secretaries in place of seven. There will be a 19-member Local Govt Nomination Board for party nomination in the local government bodies. The party brought about changes in Section 18 of its previous constitution, wherein it was stipulated that the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) shall comprise a total of 73 members, including the president, presidium members, general secretaries, secretaries of the executive committee and treasurer, and 26 members who would be nominated by the party president in consultation with the presidium members. Under the new decision, the committee was expanded to 83 members. The size of district committee was expanded to 81 from the existing 71, the Metropolitan City committee was enlarged to 81 from 71 and thana committees to 77 members from 67. The size of the thana- and ward-level committees would also be increased, as per the new decision. The party councillors also approved its declaration paper through the 20th council session, aiming to turn Bangladesh into Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans Sonar Bangla within 2041 by implementing 10 mega projects one after another and by establishing hundreds of economic zones. AL presidium member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim placed the draft of the declaration before the councillors, iterating that the aims and objectives of the Awami League were to turn Bangladesh into a self-dependent state by ensuring all fundamental rights for the countrys people from all walks of life by the deadline. In our 46-page declaration paper, it has been mentioned that no election would be allowed in the country under the supervision of an unelected government and no one would be allowed to take over state power unconstitutionally through the backdoor, he said. The partys next election manifesto would be prepared on the basis of this declaration paper, he added. In line with the 7th Five Year Plan, under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh will be turned into a middle-income state by 2021 and a developed one by 2041, where the common citizens of the country would live in prosperity and have equitable access to quality education, healthcare, rule of law and employment opportunities, he added. The ongoing war crimes trials would go on as long as a single war criminal remains, a view that has also found mention in the declaration paper of the party, he added. He said at present, over 70 per cent of the countrys total population is young. The young population would have to be used in the ongoing development activities by creating employment opportunities for them. He said the partys declaration paper was drafted in line with the Seventh Five Year Plan of the government in a bid to build a hunger- and poverty-free Bangladesh, as dreamt of by Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. After his speech on the declaration paper was completed, the councillors passed it unanimously. The two-day-long 20th council ended amidst a festive mood in the capital. Over 50,000 people attended the council session.