Bangladesh News

Awami League (AL) has decided to shore up its grassroots base by completing district committees as part of preparations for the parliamentary election and, if necessary, movement.

The decision came at a meeting of AL presidium members, joint general secretaries and organising secretaries.

Held at party chief Sheikh Hasina’s political office in Dhanmondi, the meeting also decided to write to the caretaker government and the Election Commission (EC), seeking dates for the second-round talks.

AL acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam briefed reporters about the meeting presided over by presidium member Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury.

He said AL wants the government not to take any decisions unilaterally. Decisions taken without consulting the political parties would not help the efforts to restore democracy, he added.

Queried if the mayors- and councillors-elect would be asked to resign party positions in line with the new electoral laws, the AL leader said the winners will challenge the “anti-democratic” and “anti-constitutional” laws at courts.

He said AL will finish forming committees in at least eight organisational districts–two each in Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal and one each in Rajshahi and Rangpur. It has been quite a long time since the party held councils in these districts but did not complete the committees.

The high command has already directed the organising secretaries in charge of overseeing the organisation at the division level to complete the committees. They have been asked to sit with the incumbent and former presidents and general secretaries to do the job.

Eleven districts did not have any council in last several years. “We couldn’t hold council there due to the state of emergency. We call on the government to lift the emergency to allow party councils for the sake of democracy,” Ashraf said.

Yesterday’s meeting withdrew the suspension orders issued about a month ago against Sunamganj district committee. In protest at the decision, AL presidium member Suranjit Sengupta walked out of the meeting.

Insiders said Sunamganj AL activities were suspended in response to complaints from Suranjit.

The meeting also withdrew the suspension order against Netrakona district president.