Ruling Awami League will announce its full central committee on Tuesday, said its general secretary Obaidul Quader.
“There is a meeting of the presidium on the day (Tuesday). We are expecting to announce the full committee on that day. Till then, it is not possible to formulate the new committee,” he said while speaking to journalists at Road Transport and Bridges ministry at the secretariat on Sunday.
Thanking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for electing him as second-in-command for the party for the second consecutive time, Quader said: “She considered me as eligible for the post and thus nominated me for the second time. I will try my best to keep the trust that she bestowed upon me.”
Earlier on Saturday, the country's oldest political party, Awami League announced a partial central committee for the next three years with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as president and Obaidul Quader as the general secretary.
“The journey forward for Awami League is very challenging. The most challenging part will be to keep the promises made during national election [of 2018],” he added.
The new committee has already started its work across Bangladesh and the major challenges will be to prevent the entrance of controversial faces in the committee, he opined.
For his responsibilities at the ministry, he said bringing discipline in the streets will be the major challenge for the ministry of road transport and bridges.
“I will do it for sure,” he said.
The minister also pointed out that completion of the prioritized projects including Padma Bridge in time is also a major challenge.
Responding to a query, he also said: “Maintaining communal harmony is also a major challenge. There is no way to say militant activity has stopped. They (militant) are probably waiting for the right opportunity to strike. We all have to be aware at all times.”
Regarding the inclusion of Shahjahan Khan in the committee, he said it is the decision of the party.
When asked on whether anyone from Bangabandhu's family will join politics, the Awami League general secretary said: “Sheikh Rehana, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Saima Wazed Hossain, Sajeeb Wazed Joy is not interested in joining politics. Also, there were no indications for any other member of the Bangabandhu family joining politics.”
Responding to a question on what will be his vision for the party as new general secretary, he replied: “Building a smart and strong Awami League.”
Earlier in the morning grass-root leaders of AL from different district units congratulated Obaidul Quader as the new second in command of the party again at Awami League President’s Dhanmondi office.
District leaders also congratulated newly appointed presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanok, Joint General Secretaries Mahbubul Alam Hanif, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Organizing secretaries BM Mojammel, SM Kamal Hossain at Dhanmondi party office.
Awami League’s office secretary Barrister Biplab Barua issued a press release on Sunday afternoon that stated: “First presidium meeting of Awami League’s new committee will be held on December 24 in the evening. Vacant 39 posts of Awami League’s central working committee will be filled up after the first presidium meeting of AL presided by Party president Sheikh Hasina.”
