The ruling Awami League’s Organising Secretaries are reportedly embarrassed to submit reports against party lawmakers and other grassroots leaders who patronised rebel candidates in the recently held municipality elections. Earlier, on January 25, the party asked its seven Divisional Organising Secretaries to submit the reports within 15 days, but they could not do so within the deadline. Talking to The Independent, most AL Organising Secretaries admitted they are facing embarrassment in preparing reports against their local lawmakers who backed rebel candidates for political reasons. Senior party leaders on Monday called a special meeting at party President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office, where the Organising Secretaries were supposed to submit reports, but many of them failed to do so or submitted partial reports, sources told  The Independent. AL Presidium Member and Road, Transport & Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader chaired the meeting. Among others, AL Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dipu Moni and Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Organizing Secretaries Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Mizbah Uddin Siraj, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan and BM Mozammel Haque were also present on the occasion.
Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan told this correspondent that he has not yet prepared the report on the issue. “It’s a very sensitive task. It’s an embarrassing position, since if I submit a report against the lawmakers, it could cause negativity on their part against me,” he said. “I would be willing to prepare the report if it was going directly to the hands of party President Sheikh Hasina,” he clarified.
Mizbah Uddin Siraj informed that he submitted a partial report and sought some time from the central leaders to submit final reports.
When Mahbubul Alam Hanif’s attention was drawn in this regard, he said, “I hope they submit their reports soon.” He added that action will be taken in the next AL Central Working Committee meeting against party lawmakers and other grassroots leaders who had patronised rebel candidates in the municipality elections.
Local lawmakers and grassroots leaders who violated discipline in the municipal polls cannot take part in the selection of party candidates for the upcoming union parishad polls, he added.
Earlier, in the last ALCWC meeting, Sheikh Hasina had directed party leaders to prepare reports against the party MPs and other grassroots leaders who patronised rebel candidates in the recently held municipality elections.
The party also sent showcause notices to about 40 leaders who contested against the party symbol ‘Nouka’ (boat) in the municipal polls held on December 30.