Leadership matters. It matters because life and wellbeing of the people matter, and inclusive economic growth and the prosperity of a nation matter. Also it matters for a party to run systematically and robustly. Bangladesh has made tremendous success in recent years in terms of poverty reduction, gender consciousness, economic performance, innovative work with the down trodden people, entrepreneurship and private sectors’ innovation, consistent investment in human development, and notably effective natural and political disaster management and combating terrorism. Leadership and outcome of the ruling party council
The government is focusing or at least intending to make the party separate from the government
in spite of the fact that understanding the difference between theoretical and practical
senses in this regard is a subject to observe further
Mohammad Rafiqul Islam Talukdar
Leadership matters. It matters because life and wellbeing of the people matter, and inclusive economic growth and the prosperity of a nation matter. Also it matters for a party to run systematically and robustly. Bangladesh has made tremendous success in recent years in terms of poverty reduction, gender consciousness, economic performance, innovative work with the down trodden people, entrepreneurship and private sectors innovation, consistent investment in human development, and notably effective natural and political disaster management and combating terrorism.
While reducing poverty is a collective praiseworthy business of our account under the prudence leadership of the countrys Prime Minister, eradicating the same is challenging given the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to the eradicating poverty - end poverty in all its forms everywhere, and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons definition of poverty - Poverty is not simply measured by inadequate income. It is manifested in restricted access to health, education and other essential services and, too often, by the denial or abuse of other fundamental human rights.....
Furthermore, our goal of truly graduating to middle-income status requires much higher investment, robust development assistance, thorough effective reform initiatives so as to improve the business environment, boost up budget revenue, reinforce financial discipline and uphold stable political environment and visionary leadership. Considering the last aspect upholding the stable political environment and visionary leadership I think the outcome analysis of 20th national council of the ruling party has to a great extent practical significance for several reasons.
First, Prime Minister and ruling party president Sheikh Hasinas opening speech is highly commendable, especially for acknowledging the role of Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy in founding and leading Awami League, and also for addressing the comprehensive poverty aspects in the new era by offering the scheme for free housing for the homeless and destitute. Also she asked her party fellows and followers to get prepared for the next general election to be held in 2019 in a free and fair manner. We dont want to hold any questionable election. We will have to visit door to door to make the election successful, Hasina opined in her concluding speech in the council. She also expressed her sincere gratitude to the fellows, followers and people of Bangladesh for their love and generosity to her during last 35 years of her leadership. Furthermore, she repeatedly hinted for her retiring and urged councilors to choose new leadership. She further termed leadership as a tough responsibility and concern of sacrifice. She, moreover, benevolently thanked outgoing General Secretary of the party Syed Ashraful Islam for successfully running his portfolio for two consecutive terms, and termed him publicly as her brother. Former and latter both connotations in the preceding sentence have political significance.
Secondly, despite receiving invitations, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition party in real sense in the country, did not attend the council, while the Jatiya Party sent its representatives to the inaugural session of the same, instead of attendance of the opposition leader in the parliament and/or president of that party. General Secretary of Jatio Party urged the reason behind it - there was no example in the countrys political culture that any other party president and secretary general had attended such councils. Contrary to the opinion of Jatio Party, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President attended the council. BNP, however, celebrated the newly elected President and General Secretary of the ruling party. Being political analyst, I appreciate the BNPs lateral role not the former one, and disagree with Jatio Partys stance considering the fact that we are increasingly globalized and developed and so to be constructive, and also trend of attending others program in response to formal invitation is inbuilt in our social culture.
Thirdly, ruling party has endorsed its amended constitution at the council, expanding its central executive committee by eight more posts. According to the amendment, four more posts for presidium members, one for joint secretary, one for organising secretary and two for general members have been tailored to make 81 posts from formerly 73 posts of the central committee of the party. The council also endorsed an eleven-member Parliamentary Election Board and another eighteen-member Local Government Election Board. Furthermore, the party placed its budget there and got the same approved by the council.
Fourthly, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was re-elected President of Bangladesh Awami League for the 8th consecutive term at the closing day of two-day council, while Obaidul Quader, incumbent Roads and Transportation minister, was elected as the new General Secretary. With the authority, delegated by 6570 councilors in the council, the re- elected president of the party Sheikh Hasina selected fourteen-member presidium body and four-member joint-general secretary pool and one treasurer on the second day of the council. Almost a fully-fledged committee approved by the party president was also announced within a week of the council held.
Yet the three- presidium membership positions are vacant in the party. This write-up recommends Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed (Joy), Radwan Mujib Siddiq (Bobby) and Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj (Sohel) to be included at the presidium body. The reason why this article suggests it is that Centre for Research and Information (CRI), led by its Trustee Radwan Mujib Siddiq (a grandson of Bangabandhu) has disseminated four publications at the council of the party portraying Bangladesh and its Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas success and global achievements. It appreciably added value both national and global context. A different, but highly significant endeavor for the nation - making a digital Bangladesh - is leading by Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed (the senior most grandson of Bangabandhu and son of incumbent Prime Minister of the country). Also Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj (former state minister for home affairs and son of first Prime Minister of Bangladesh Tajuddin Ahmad) is likely to be a true asset for the party and country given his high level integrity, commitment and blue-blood.
Fifthly, congratulation is due to the President and General Secretary, Presidium Members, and all others of the new committee of Bangladesh Awami League. New General Secretary Obaidul Quader is an alumnus of Dhaka University. He has strong educational and political background. He was student league president and also a freedom fighter. It apparently seemed by informal sources and media review that Party President Sheikh Hasinas decision in this regard was appreciated by the councilors, while they were thankful to outgoing General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam for successfully running his portfolio in a critical period of the party including the time of military-backed interim government, and gono-jagoron mancha and hafajote-e-islami issues. They were also happy to welcome the outgoing General Secretary as presidium member of the new committee.
Finally, as a political analyst, I have found Party President Sheikh Hasina, outgoing General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, new General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury and Presidium Member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury are robust and ethically high standard politicians. Those who wish to do clean politics in Awami League, I think, for them these five veteran politicians in Bangladesh are the shelters/umbrellas. Also some relatively promising and young leaders included in the current round central committee of Bangladesh Awami League. And the ruling government is focusing or at least intending to make the party separate from the government in spite of the fact that understanding the difference between theoretical and practical senses in this regard is a subject to observe further. These are some good news for the new generation, young clean politicians and for the nation also as noted from the opening thesis of the write-up - leadership matters.
The writer is a political anddevelopmental analyst
