AL to hold council of assoc bodies, finally
Party insiders urge high-ups to induct new faces
ABU JAKIR
Although the Awami League (AL), the oldest political party in the country, is in power for the second consecutive term, the organisational condition of its associate bodies is rather vulnerable because triennial central council sessions have not been held for a long time. However, after a decade, the ruling party has decided to hold triennial council sessions for its associate organisations from March 4 this year. Council sessions of almost all bodies have not been held for the past 10-12 years, though the party constitution clearly states that council sessions should be held at three-year intervals. Party insiders said owing to the delay in holding council sessions, associate organisations of the AL have virtually no political activity except placing floral wreaths at the portrait of party founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on different occasions. They also said leaders and workers of these organisations are involved in non-political activities.
They have welcomed the decision to hold triennial council sessions.
They urged the party high-ups to induct new faces in the associate bodies through the upcoming council sessions, to make these bodies more dynamic.
In a press release on Monday, the party said as per the direction of the party president and Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, the party has finalised the council dates for its four associate bodiesthe Bangladesh Mahila Awami League, Bangladesh Juba Mahila League, Awami Ainjibi Parishad and the Bangladesh Tanti League. The press release said the triennial council session
of the Bangladesh Mahila Awami League
will be held on March 4, the Bangladesh
Juba Mahila Leagues council on March 11, the Bangladesh Tanti Leagues council on March 19 and the Awami Ainjibi Parishads council on April 29.
The last (and incidentally the first) triennial central council session of the Bangladesh Mahila Awami League was held in 2003. Thirteen years have passed since then. But there is no sign of holding another council. This has frustrated its leaders and workers who want to be promoted as leaders of the unit.
The last (and incidentally the first) central council session of the Bangladesh Juba Mahila League was held in 2004. The organisational condition of the Awami Ainjibi Parishad is the same. Its president, advocate Shahara Khatun, does not know when the last council of the body was held.
The last (and incidentally the first since its formation) central council session of the Awami Ainjibi Parishad was held on March 11, 2000. No council session of the Bangladesh Tanti League has been held since the organisation became an associate body of the AL in 2000. When contacted, Tanti League convenor Anajur Rahman Chowdhury said: Through the upcoming council session, our organisation will get a new leadership, and it will help strengthen the Awami League. Our last central council session was held in 2003. We welcome the partys decision in this regard, said Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf, president of the Mahila Awami League. She, too, expressed hope that the AL would be strengthened and become more dynamic after the council session. Juba Mahila League president, Nazma Akhter, told this correspondent that the council session for each unit of the ALs associate bodies should be held in time. This would strengthen the party organisation. However, the organisational condition of the other associate bodies of the AL, including the Jatiya Sramik League and the Swadhinata Chikitshok Parishad, is the same. The terms of these committees have already expired.
