Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday was re-elected President of Bangladesh Awami League for the next three-year unanimously in the party’s 20th Council.
Besides, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader was the newly elected General Secretary of the party.
AL Presidium member Syeda Sazeda Chowdhury proposed the name of Sheikh Hasina as party President in the yesterday’s closing council session.
Election Commissioner Yusuf Hossain Humayun declared her as party President for the next term as there was no candidate for the post.
On the other hand, Syed Ashraful Islam proposed the name of Obaidul Quader as party’s General Secretary while Zahangir Kabir Nanak supported the proposal. The Election Commission announced him General Secretary while no other candidate vied for the post.
Earlier in the morning session, the councillors urged Sheikh Hasina to continue for the next term as President of AL.
The first session of the second day’s council began at 9:00 am on Sunday in the city’s Institute of Engineers Bangladesh auditorium. In this session, presidents and general secretaries of different organizing districts raised demand to keep Hasina as lifelong party President.
At the same time, the councillors also demanded to give Sajeeb Wazed Joy an important post in the party as a successor of Bangabandhu family and representative of third generation.
Interestingly, Joy did not express any interest to get an important post in the party, though it was the key demand of grassroots level leaders in the yesterday’s council.
“It will be not justifiable holding an important party post while I’m staying abroad. I want to work for the party and my country,” Joy, who is also Prime Minister’s IT adviser, told the newsmen at the party’s research cell CRI [centre for research and information] at the Suhrawardy Udyan.Despite councillors’ demand for giving Sajeeb Wazed Joy an important position in the party, Joy’s mother Awami League President Sheikh Hasina said he is already holding an important position as her adviser.
Meanwhile, the councillors approved party’s declaration and amended party Constitution in the council. The amended constitution was placed by convenor of party Constitution subcommittee Dr Abdur Razzak.
At that time PM Sheikh Hasina told the councillors that the party Constitution has been made “time befitting”. If they are agree, they [councillors ] could raise their voice. All the councillors anonymously said “yes” and it was passed.
Earlier, the amended declaration paper was placed by concerned sub-committee’s convenor Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP. It was also approved by the councillors anonymously through voice votes.
A total of 41 councillors delivered speeches in the two-day council. Of them, 35 made their statements at closed-door council session on Sunday while six others on Saturday afternoon session. About 6,570 councillors from across the country took part in the council.
Panchagarh District AL General Secretary Anwar Shahdat Samrat in his speech as councillor said: ” We’ve full confidence on you [Hasina]. We want such a committee in which we can keep trust… We don’t want to see any Mirzafar [betrayer] in the party.”
On the other hand, President of Dhaka District AL unit Benzir Ahmed said: “We don’t want to see any ‘brother group’ [bhai group] in the party. You [Hasina] will run the party under your single leadership… You know, who were beside you after 1/11 changing political episode.”
Replying to the councillors, the PM said: “Find a new leader as long as I’m here. I want to make the country stronger with introducing a new party leader.” But turning down her comment, all the councillors started shouting no, no. The councillors also demanded to stay Hasina as lifelong President of the party.
