The ruling Awami League (AL) has directed the leaders and activists of its different associate bodies not to use their own photos—except those of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina—for political publicity, but to no avail.
Leaders of the ruling party, its associate bodies, and student organisation are still using their own photos ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr for political publicity. These leaders are using their enlarged photos in festoons and banners alongside small-sized photos of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina. This has irked the party’s central leaders.     
This correspondent found such banners, festoons and posters at the AL headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue, party president Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office and elsewhere in the capital.
On December 14 last year, the ruling party had distributed separate letters, signed by its general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam, to the leaders and activists of its different associate bodies, asking them not to use their own photographs except those of Sheikh Hasina and Bangabandhu Mujibur Rahman.
The letter mentioned that general public found it very disturbing when they see banners or festoons with large pictures of campaigners alongside “very small” photos of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
Sheikh Hasina.  Stern action will be taken against those who would violate this directive, it read.
Although the Dhaka City Corporation authorities had removed all banners and posters that violated this directive after the announcement, these are again back in the city.  
Seeking anonymity, an assistant secretary of AL central sub-committee, who published such banners, told The Independent yesterday that the party has issued many directives to its leaders and workers, but nobody actually cares about such instructions.    
 When contacted, food minister Qamrul Islam, whose photograph has been ornamented in front of the AL headquarters at Bangabandhu Avenue alongside some junior leaders, told this correspondent that he does not know anything about such publicity.  Photographs of Jubo League chairman Omar Faruk Chowdhury, BCL president and secretary Saifur Rahman Sohag and SM Jakir Hossain, respectively, have also been ornamented in front of the party central office as political publicity. When contacted, AL joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said those who have been flouting the party’s instructions will have to face organisational action.