The ruling Awami League will form a committee to look into the reasons behind consecutive defeat of the party-supported mayoral candidates in the five city polls held in less than a month time.
The panel would submit a report to party President Sheikh Hasina with suggestions on how to come out of the situation and bringing back the party in right track, sources said.
The decision came at a meeting of the party’s advisory council, a body of the party’s senior leaders, held at Ganabhaban on Saturday. Hasina chaired the meeting.
Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged all political parties to take preparation for the next general elections with a view to maintain democratic course.
Sources in the meeting confirmed to the Dhaka Tribune that several members of the council suggested the party president to form a committee to identify the reasons behind the debacle in city polls. Hasina accepted the proposal.
Several members termed the results “a signal for the party ahead of the parliamentary polls” and suggested that measures be taken immediately to avert the same consequences in the national polls.
Hasina assured the council members that the party would put up its maximum efforts to reorganise its political strength after the Eid. Besides she asked the party leaders to visit in their respective areas and to highlight the government’s achievements to the people.
Amir Hossain Amu, HT Imam, Prof Alauddin Ahmed, M Jamir, Hossain Mansur, Kazi Akramuddin, MA Jalil and party’s General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam were present.
She also asked them to fortify public opinion against the destructive politics of the opposition BNP-Jamaat alliance, the sources said.
Referring to the polls held during the incumbent government, the Awami League chief claimed that her party had showed the courage to hold elections in a free, fair and credible manner. “No other party could do it,” she said.
“The state power should be handed over in line with the democratic norms,” Hasina said adding that it was the Awami League which followed the practice in 2001.
“We want that such practice begins for the sake of country's democracy...the socio-economic growth will not be possible without flourishing the democratic practice," she observed.
Bitterly criticising the main opposition BNP, the premier alleged that the party had been engaged in destructive politics to save the war criminals.
"The war crimes tribunal has been delivering verdicts against the war criminals one after another and these verdicts will also be implemented," she said.
