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Download PDF In a bid to bring ‘drastic’ reforms in the Awami League (AL), several influential leaders of the party have prepared a 21-point draft proposal, which they will hand over to party President Sheikh Hasina within the next week.
Several pro-reform leaders said they will be with Hasina if she accepts the proposals, otherwise they will challenge her leadership.
Many senior leaders of the party have held regular secret meetings during the last couple of weeks for preparing the draft, which they said have been prepared after taking opinion from the party’s central to grass roots level leaders.
To review the draft proposal, they held a meeting at the residence of the party’s central leader Dr Ali Ashraf on Tuesday.
“After finalising the proposal by Sunday, we will hand it over to the party chief as well as all the party leaders from central to upazila levels and to the media,” said a leader who attended the meeting.
The key leaders of the move, including presidium members Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta, also held meetings with the leaders of the AL-led 14 party coalition and other like-minded political parties, sources said.
A leader attending the meeting said they have been moving fast to bring drastic reforms in the party, as they do not want to lock horns with the military-backed caretaker government.
“We are not quitting the Awami League. Rather we will save the party of Bangabandhu through carrying out reforms as per the demand of the time,” said the leader replying to a query.
Asked whether they are planning to bring reforms by removing the current party chief Sheikh Hasina, he said, “Our fight is not against any person. Rather it is for taking stand in favour of a process. We are against dictatorship and dynasty but in favour of democracy, tolerance, secularism and collective decision.”
The proposal includes the provision that the party chief cannot be the head of the government even if elected a public representative and no one will hold the post of the president or secretariat member more than twice.
The proposal says every committee from the central to grass roots levels will be formed through ‘hidden ballots’. The treasurer will collect all the funds, control it and place accounts of annual expenditure.
If there are any differences of opinion over any matter, decision will be taken based on the majority’s opinion. Those who will be convicted as criminals, black money holders, or corrupt, will not be given nomination for contesting the election from the AL and will be relieved from the party, says the proposal.
“If the party chief welcomes the proposals, then we will be under her leadership,” said another leader.
AL leaders Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Mukul Bose, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Aktheruzzaman, Sultan Mohammad Mansur Ahmed, Prof Abu Sayeed, KM Jahangir, Dr Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin, Dr Ali Ashraf, Mirza Sultan Raza, Habibur Rahman Khan, Nazma Rahman, Nuh-e-Alam Lenin, and about 25 other leaders attended the meeting.
The reformist leaders want amendment of the party constitution through holding a council immediately after the lifting of ban on indoor politics. They also want to re-establish the party constitution of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman so that the party’s major policies stand on democracy and secularism.
“The party will be run not at the diktat of one person, but on the constitution so that we can resist the influence of black money holders, criminals and corrupt people,” said another leader attending the meeting.
June 14th, 2007 at 6:03 am
I may be wrong but many AL leaders claim that Awami League is party of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s., But historical evidence proves it that Awami League was formed 1949 and the leaders were Bashani and Sarwardi while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was student at a time. I thing the AL leaders should get their facts right before claiming.
June 15th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
Wait a minute gentlemen, what you propagate as a
Secularism?
Islam is the best Answer to all East & all west!
ALLAH the ALMIGHTY is the creator & the benefactor of the mankind.
Do you study the news, Mr Blair himself like
moderate Muslims! Islam itself a Religion very soft very moderate. Islam forces none in accepting any regilion.You have free will either to live as an atheist,or idle worshipper or a as a Religious person.
Islam does not terrorise people, Islam does not propagte killing of any Hindu or Christaian.
Then What Secularism?
Bangladesh is a State of Muslims and remain a
Muslim state allowing all others to peaceffully carry out their own style of Religious practices
so long it does not give way to Bollywood style Nudity in Films & social activities, does not open places for wine,women and gamblings.
All undesirable activities must be barred from the soil of Bangladesh by strict Islamic rules of LAW!
Most of we Muslims live in west strictly observe
Islamic way of life, We walk pass Clubs, nude Clubs,Gambling centres, We even donot look at it.
Most of our Children are Islamic, and thank ALLAH
that We are living with non muslims preserving Islamic thoughts & idelogy unlike countreys conataing majority Muslims and But little Islam!
Thank you,
B.Ahmed