22nd Council SessionAL to unveil ‘Smart Bangladesh’ plan

Senior Awami League leaders are busy with their last-minute work to incorporate some smart provisions in the party constitution and manifesto to bring more dynamism in the party activities through the 22nd council session.

Insiders say the party leaders entrusted with the task to bring changes to the party constitution and frame the manifesto targeting the next general election are putting their best efforts into accomplishing the job ahead the council session slated for December 24.

They say the council means a new dream to people who always want something special from the party which has brought the country’s independence and taken the country to new heights in the global stage.

Sources say people may see a ‘Smart Bangladesh’ plan and measures in the manifesto to keep the wheel of economy moving amid the global recession.

AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may unveil the plan from a huge boat-shaped gorgeous podium on prestigious Padma Bridge at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital.

“People from all walks of life always have an interest in the council session of Awami League. The council session is not a mere congregation; rather Awami League shows dreams to people through it. So, the manifesto will contain that dream this time too,” said a central leader.

About the council session, AL Presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak said they will hold the council session in a simple manner due to the global recession.

“The new leadership to be elected through the council session will face the next general election and work together to elect Sheikh Hasina as prime minister for the fourth term in a row to build ‘Smart Bangladesh’,” he said.

Centring on the council session, some ruling party leaders are making their hectic efforts to get posts in the 81-member central committee.

“As Awami League is a big political party, aspirants will try to hold posts at the central body. That’s why they lobby senior leaders to get party posts. Despite the efforts of the aspirants, the councillors will elect the best leadership through the session,” said another leader.

Insiders say some of the leaders of the incumbent committee may be dropped for their poor performances while some new faces may be inducted into the committee to revamp organisational activities.

A good number of enthusiastic leaders and activists have been thronging the AL president’s political office at Dhanmondi and Suhrawardy Udyan, the venue of the session, for the last couple of weeks to draw the attention of the senior leaders.

There will be no change in the post of the party president as there is no alternative to Sheikh Hasina, the sources said.

Sheikh Hasina has been leading the party most successfully as the president for the last 41 years since 1981.

After taking the responsibility in 1981, she has turned the party into one of the biggest parties in the world.

As time is flying fast for the council session, there have been talks over the post of the general secretary as many express intention to get the post.

A section of the party insiders said there might be change in the general secretary post and incumbent General Secretary Obaidul Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, may be shown the door.

But another section dismissed any such possibility, saying Quader will remain in the important post as the party will not take the risk of choosing another leader ahead of the election.

Quader was picked as the general secretary replacing Syed Ashraful Islam, son of country’s first acting President Syed Nazrul Islam, in 2016. He got another term as general secretary in 2019.

It is widely believed that everything depends on the desire of party chief Sheikh Hasina.

Some 15,000 councillors and delegates from across the country will attend the event.

 The party invited country’s all political parties, except Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for its role against the War of Liberation, to join the council session.

Awami League was founded on June 23, 1949 at Rose Garden on KM Das Lane in Dhaka.

Among other achievements over the last 73 years, the party led the nation in the War of Independence in 1971.

The council session of the ruling party will focus on electing a new central committee and deciding the future course of action, especially getting the party prepared for facing upcoming challenges ahead of the 12th parliamentary elections to be held in January 2024.

Ahead of the council session, the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC), highest policy-making body, will sit in a meeting tomorrow and approve a draft amendment to the party constitution.