PM opens AL Dhaka city units’ council

FT ONLINE

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated the triennial council of Dhaka North and South City units of Bangladesh Awami League (AL) at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.

Sheikh Hasina, also the AL president, opened the council as the chief guest by hoisting the national flag as well as releasing pigeons and balloons in the morning.

Dhaka South City AL President Haji Abul Hasnat is presiding over the council.

AL General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Dhaka North City AL President AKM Rahmatullah and General Secretary Sadeq Khan and Dhaka South City AL General Secretary Shahe Alam Murad were present.

The second session of the councils will be held in the early afternoon at the Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh to elect new leadership.

Suhrawardy Udyan is decorated for party workers, councillors, delegates and the entire venue is illuminated, decorated and displayed different portraits.

Marking the council session, a huge stage has been erected at Suhrawardy Udyan.

Incumbent president AKM Rahmatullah and general secretary Sadeq Khan of Dhaka North City AL are trying hard to retain their posts.

Many dedicated leaders, including vice-presidents Sheikh Bazlur Rahman and Aslamul Haque, joint secretaries MA Kader Khan and SM Mannan Kochi and Habib Hasan, office secretary M Saifullah Saiful and treasurer Wakil Uddin, are also trying to get top posts.

Besides, President of Dhaka South City AL Abul Hasnat is out of the race due to his physical condition, but general secretary Shahey Alam Murad is trying to retain his post.

Sources said it becomes a tradition of selecting Old Dhaka leader in one of the two top posts.

Former acting president late MA Aziz’s son Omar Bin Abdul Aziz Tamim is in top of the other candidates.

Moreover, vice-presidents Abu Ahmed Mannafi and Humayun Kabir, joint secretaries Abul Bashar and Dilip Kumar Roy, organising secretary Hedayet Ullah Swapan and publicity secretary Akter Hossain are trying to get back their top posts.

The last council of Awami League was held on December 27 in 2012, but the committee was announced on April 10 in 2016 after splitting into two units in 2015.