The ruling Awami League is ready to hold its 22nd National Council at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday with the pledge to build a Smart Bangladesh by 2041.
Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said it is unlikely that there will be any significant changes at the national council as it comes just one year after the last council. However, many supporters and activists are eagerly waiting to see whether Quader will be elected as general secretary for the third consecutive time.
At the council venue on Friday, most leaders and activists said they were expecting Quader to complete his hat-trick. However, some of them said that one of the presidium members who had served in the top positions of the Chhatra League, the party's student wing, may be elected at the last moment.
There was also discussion among party activists over when the third-generation of the Bangabandhu Family – Sajeeb Wajed Joy, Saima Wajed Putul and Radwan Mujib Siddiq – would be inducted into the party's central committee.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the council by releasing pigeons at 10:30am. After the hoisting of the national and the party flags, the central leaders will take their seats on the stage for a 30-minute cultural function.
Tight security has been ensured to thwart any untoward incident, police anddd RAB said.
Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua will present obituary references, while Obaidul Quader will present the general secretary's report.
Presidium Member and Reception Committee Convener Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim will deliver the welcome address.
The council's first session will end with a speech by the party president.
Around 7,000 councillors, over 100,000 leaders, and workers from the country will join the national council.
There will be a break for lunch and prayers after the end of the inaugural session. Subsequently, the council session will be held in the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) auditorium, where the party president and general secretary will be elected.
A three-member party election commission has already been formed to elect the leadership.
AL invites BNP, other parties
Awami League has invited BNP and other political parties to join its national council. Deputy Office Secretary Sayem Khan and Dhaka City South AL Office Secretary Riaz Uddin delivered the invitation cards to BNP's Naya Paltan central office around 12 noon Friday.
BNP acting office secretary Syed Emran Saleh received three invitation cards.
Sayem Khan later said they had invited three BNP's Standing Committee members – Dr Khandker Mosharraf Hossain, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Nazrul Islam Khan.
Focus BanglaMeanwhile, the BNP will not hold any mass procession in Dhaka on Saturday due to the ruling party's council, but processions in other districts will be held as per the previous announcement.
Besides, Jatiya Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Workers Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad), Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Jatiya Party (JaPa), Samyabadi Dal, and all pro-liberation parties were invited to the council.
According to the AL reception affairs sub-committee, foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka have been invited, but no other foreign guests.
AL releases a theme song
The 22nd national council of the ruling Awami League will have a theme song – the first time in the party's 73-year history.
The song was uploaded on the verified Facebook page of the Awami League late on Thursday. The initiative was led by Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua.
Pavel Arin composed the song, while National Film Award winner Zulfiqar Russell wrote the lyrics. Panth Kanai, Chandana Mazumder, Dilshad Nahar Kanna and Masha Islam were the singers. The music video was directed by Ishtiaq Mahmud in association with Yasir Mahmud Khan.
Quader instructs partymen to be vigilant
Directing leaders and activists to remain alert, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Friday said the BNP may have plans to carry out vandalism and arson attacks in suburban areas across Bangladesh on Saturday.
“Be alert so that no anarchy is created,” the AL leader said.
"Our conference will be held [Saturday]. Meanwhile, the BNP has taken various programs outside Dhaka. That's why the AL leaders and activists, who will stay in their respective areas on this day, will have to remain alert like December 10," Quader said.
The AL general secretary said the BNP is leading an alliance with communal forces. "They (BNP) failed on December 10...they are desperate because they know that it is not easy to defeat Sheikh Hasina in elections. So, now they are trying to oust the government by carrying out wrongdoings like movement, agitation, arson attack and terrorism," he said.
