Ruling Awami League will hold councils at the grassroots levels after the upazila polls. The central council will be held after finishing the local councils, Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam told the Dhaka Tribune.
Awami League held its last central council on December 29, 2012 without completing all the grassroots councils, including the district unit councils. Before the central council of 2012, Awami League had completed around a dozen of the district unit councils. The party has a total of 73 district units.
Party’s policymakers, including Awami League President Sheikh Hasina, are of the opinion that this has weakened the party grassroots and created conflicts at every level of the local bodies. Consequently the party has suffered in the last two or three years.
Party sources said before holding the local councils, an extended meeting of the party’s central working committee may be held for instructions from party chief Sheikh Hasina to the local leadership.
Syed Ashraf said after the upazila elections, the party would launch a drive to strengthen the organisation.
“Local council is a continuous process and they will be run quickly after the upazila elections,” he said.
He also rejected the possibility of a mid-term council of the party’s central committee.
“According to the party’s constitution, the central council will be held in due time,” he said.
Referring to the history of Awami League, he said the party council was held in due time even after the killing of the Father of the Nation Bangabandu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Rangpur divisional Organising Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said, “The Awami League government had held the national election in due time as per the constitution. The party will also hold its council in time as per its constitution.”
Some sources said Syed Ashraful Islam has not been performing actively for several causes and the party leadership wanted a dynamic person as the general secretary, which is a vital post for the party. Therefore a special council would be held.
Most of party leaders however, do not believe that the party chief
wants to change her secretary. Several of them told the Dhaka Tribune the party president was very much satisfied with the general secretary’s performance.
One of Awami League’s secretaries told the Dhaka Tribune that the current performance of Ashraf was better than any time during his tenure.
