Saturday, January 30th, 2010After around 20 months, the ruling Awami League holds an extended meeting today in efforts to revamp the organisation.Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the meeting at Ganobhaban at 11:00am.In her address, she will instruct leaders of different tiers on how to go about strengthening the party and countering the opposition's anti-government propaganda.Before that, AL central working committee will meet at Hasina's political office in Dhanmondi. ALCWC, the highest decision-making body in AL, is expected to approve the party's amended charter at that meeting.Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, presidium member and deputy leader of the House, will chair the ...
(read more) Sunday, December 20th, 2009Two high-profile Awami League ministers yesterday criticised party activists for their behaviour which, they said, has made people restive.They also admitted that the government could not perform well all its jobs including containing tender manipulation and controlling markets, the latter having often increased prices of essentials.At a discussion meeting organised by Awami Jubo League to mark the Victory Day, the two senior leaders made the self-criticism for the first time in one year in power, evaluating the activities of party men and the performance of the government.The present government is going to be one-year-old soon and people will evaluate its ...
(read more) Saturday, August 1st, 2009Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday expanded her council of ministers by adding a minister and five state ministers, and reshuffling 10 council portfolios.Neither of the six new faces has ever been in any council of ministers before, nor any of them is a member of ruling Awami League's (AL) new central working committee.With the new inductions, the number of ministers in the almost seven-month old council rose to 43, comprising the premier, 24 ministers, and 18 state ministers.Ruling AL lawmaker Shajahan Khan, who had been working as the chief of a parliamentary committee before his new assignment, was sworn ...
(read more) Saturday, August 1st, 2009Awami League President Sheikh Hasina yesterday finalised names of 26 executive members of the party's working committee in consultation with the AL presidium members.Hasina finalised the names at the first meeting of the newly formed party presidium at her official residence Jamuna. However, the names are awaiting announcement. Moreover, the names of the party's joint secretary and the information and research secretary were not announced yet.Awami League announced its 73-member new central committee on Thursday leaving veteran politicians Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzaq, Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta who were members of the Presidium, and bringing in many fresh faces.Talking ...
(read more) Thursday, April 23rd, 2009Both the government and the Awami League top brass are aggrieved with Tuesday's statements by AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil that there are many "paid DGFI agents" in the cabinet.They trashed his allegations and said his statement is nothing but the expression of a "frustrated person".Insiders say the AL Central Working Committee would sit for a decision in this regard immediately after Prime Minister and party chief Sheikh Hasina returns from Saudi Arabia.At that meeting, Jalil might be issued a show cause notice as to why he would not be punished for the statements, comments a source close to Hasina. ...
(read more) Sunday, January 4th, 2009Awami League (AL) President Sheikh Hasina, who was unanimously elected majority party leader yesterday, will be sworn in as prime minister Tuesday.Her election by the AL parliamentary party (ALPP) came within hours into oath-taking by the AL-led grand alliance lawmakers in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in the afternoon.Zillur Rahman, the veteran AL leader, was picked as the deputy leader.Speaking at a press briefing afterwards, Hasina declared Zillur will be her party's nominee for presidency.According to the constitution, the 300-member parliament will elect president within 30 days of its first sitting.The grand alliance enjoys a thumping majority ...
(read more) Friday, December 5th, 2008Awami League (AL) and BNP plunge into deep crisis as the scrutiny of nomination papers by election officials has left the arch-rivals without an official candidate in at least 19 constituencies.In some constituencies, even the back-up or independent candidates loyal to the electoral alliances led by two parties were declared unfit to contest the polls.At least 12 BNP candidates were declared unfit to contest the polls while five candidates of AL lost their candidature. Most of them lost their candidature due to non-payment of outstanding bills or loans.The parties are now desperately looking for independents to support in the ...
(read more) Friday, December 5th, 2008Awami League (AL) in its draft electoral manifesto pledged to review, if needed, the caretaker government system and will continue electoral reforms to strengthen the country's election system.AL policymakers made plans to come up with the promise as the formation and function of the caretaker government since October, 2006, has been mired in controversy, resulting in the long delay in holding the national elections, party insiders said.The AL's draft electoral manifesto says that if the party is voted to power, a reliable election system and regular elections will be ensured, if needed through a close review of the ...
(read more) Monday, October 27th, 2008The Awami League (AL) yesterday finalised its draft policy to seek names of the possible candidates for the next national election from its grassroots level committees.The local AL bodies will now finalise a five-member panel of candidates for each constituency through holding an open ballot. The party has recently put this provision in its constitution to get registered with the Election Commission.The AL presidium, the highest policymaking body, last night finalised the draft, which will be approved by the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) within a week."In our draft ward, union, municipality, thana, upazila and district committee members will ...
(read more) Sunday, October 26th, 2008Two major political parties Awami League (AL) and BNP are waiting to see the caretaker government implement the consensual agreements they reached at the last round of politico-electoral talks among the three.Insiders of both parties said they want the agreements to be implemented before the announcement of the detailed election schedule on November 2.Leaders of both parties said they especially want to hear specific decisions coming from the military backed government regarding the state of emergency, and about participation of their chiefs Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina in the election.Top leaders of BNP-led four-party alliance are likely to meet ...
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