The ruling party Awami League plans to hold its next central executive conference in time. If everything goes well, the 22nd National Council of Bangladesh Awami League, the country’s oldest political party that led from the front in every democratic movement since the War of Independence, will be held in December next. The party has already started preparations in full swing. Meanwhile, Awami League’s ward, union, upazila, district and metropolitan committee councils are being held across the country. For the past few months, the central leaders of the party have been running from one end of the country to other in order to increase the organisational strength of the party and hold councils at the root-level. Speculations are already running high regarding the upcoming national council and as always, the focus of discussions yet again is on the very post of the ruling party’s General Secretary. NASHIR UDDIN and SM TANJIL-UL-HAQUE digs deeper into the details.
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Indeed, the post of Awami League’s next General Secretary is now among the most discussed issues in the country’s political arena. Discussions are going on among the party leaders as to who is coming next to the post of General Secretary of this popular political party. There is also a lot of discussions going on over the issue in the opposition political camp. Apart from this, several top leaders of Awami League have chalked out their activities to get the party’s second-highest post of general secretary. Thus, the leaders of the party have increased their organisational activities, and have taken the initiative to strengthen much required communication with the root-level leaders and activists. Due to this, it is still not possible to say who is going to be the next General Secretary of ruling Awami League and as a burning question, this will continue to fuel the rumour mill in top gear for the next few months.
A BRIEF BACKGROUND OF AWAMI LEAGUE
Being the largest and oldest political party, Bangladesh Awami League is an inseparable part of the country’s historic events – both triumphant and tragic. From the language movement to independence, this political party has played an exemplary role in every instance. On 23 June 1949, the ‘East Pakistan Awami Muslim League’ was formed in a conference organised by Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy at the Rose Garden in Dhaka. The first committee was formed with Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani as President, Shamsul Haque as General Secretary and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as Joint General Secretary. Later in 1955, the party adopted secularism as its ideology and it was renamed as ‘East Pakistan Awami League’. With passage of time, Awami League became an organisation of the people. Then, Bangladesh’s independence came through the hands of Awami League President Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1971, wherein the party contributed significantly.
PREVIOUS AWAMI LEAGUE GENERAL SECRETARIES
Awami League has held 21 national conferences since its establishment. So far, nine persons have become General Secretary of this party. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman were elected as General Secretary for four times. Tajuddin Ahmed was elected three times, Abdur Razzak, Syed Ashraful Islam, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury and Obaidul Quader were elected General Secretary twice. First General Secretary Shamsul Haque and Abdul Jalil were elected only once.
SHAMSUL HAQUE: Shamsul Haque was the first General Secretary of Awami League, which was originally named the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League – although the word Muslim was removed later from the organisation’s name in 1955 during the party’s third national conference to pave the way for representation of all religions and castes. However, the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League came into being in 1949 during the June 23-24 conference of the democratic activists at Rose Garden in old Dhaka and this first council elected Shamsul Haque as the party’s first General Secretary. He served the party in that capacity from 1949 to 1953.
SHEIKH MUJIBUR RAHMAN: Awami League’s second Council was held in 1953 at Mukul Cinema Hall in old Dhaka. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected as the General Secretary in this council. After that, a very important decision of the party was taken in the third council held at Rupmahal Cinema Hall in 1955, following which Awami League emerged as a non-communal party. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected again as the General Secretary in this council. Later in 1957, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected again as the General Secretary for third term in the 4th council’s representative meeting at Gulistan Cinema Hall. The party’s fifth national council was held in 1964 when Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was re-elected as the General Secretary. In total, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman served the Awami League as its General Secretary for four consecutive terms during the eventful period of 1953–1966.
TAJUDDIN AHMAD: The sixth council of the Awami League was a historic one as Bangabandhu’s six-point charter of demand was passed in this 1966 council that elected Tajuddin Ahmed as the General Secretary. The seventh council of the party was held in 1968 when Tajuddin Ahmad was elected again as the General Secretary. Later, Awami League’s eighth national council was held during the tumultuous period of 1970 when Tajuddin Ahmad was re-elected as General Secretary. In total, Tajuddin Ahmad served the party as General Secretary for three terms from 1966 to 1972.
ZILLUR RAHMAN: The Ninth National Council of Awami League in 1972 was the first of its kind in independent Bangladesh. It was held in the party’s central office at 112 Circuit House Road. Zillur Rahman was elected General Secretary in this council held with an oath to implement the spirit of the Liberation War. Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the war-torn country were also included in the agenda. The 10th National Council of Awami League was held in front of the party office in 1974 when Zillur Rahman was re-elected as the General Secretary for the second time. Later in 1992, Zillur Rahman was again made the party’s General Secretary for the third term during the party’s 15th National Council of the party at the Engineers Institution. Zillur Rahman was again elected General Secretary during the 16th National Council at Outer Stadium in 1997.
THE DARK CHAPTER
As Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family were brutally murdered on 15 August 1975, the military government seized power. On 3rd November 1975, four Awami League leaders – Tajuddin Ahmad, Syed Nazrul Islam, AHM Kamruzzaman and M Mansur Ali – were killed inside prison. With this, Awami League plunged into the biggest crisis since its birth. In such circumstances, the 11th Council of the party was held in 1977 on the premises of Hotel Eden. Syeda Zohra Tajuddin was elected as the party’s Convener.
ABDUR RAZZAQ: 12th National Council of Awami League was held in 1978. Abdur Razzaq was elected the General Secretary in this council held at Hotel Eden. Bangabandhu’s eldest daughter Sheikh Hasina emerged in the scene to lead Awami League during the 13th National Council in 1981. Sheikh Hasina was the elected President while Abdur Razzaq was re-elected as General Secretary. Abdur Razzaq served the party in this capacity till 1982.
SYEDA SAJEDA CHOWDHURY: As Abdur Razzak left the party in 1982, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became the acting, General Secretary. Later, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury was elected as the General Secretary in the party’s 14th National Council held at Engineers Institution in 1987.
SYEDA SAJEDA CHOWDHURY: As Abdur Razzak left the party in 1982, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became the acting, General Secretary. Later, Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury was elected as the General Secretary in the party’s 14th National Council held at Engineers Institution in 1987.
ABDUL JALIL: When the Awami League was in the opposition party in 2002, the 17th National Council of the party was held at Paltan Maidan. Abdul Jalil was elected as the General Secretary in this council. He held this position until 2009.
SYED ASHRAFUL ISLAM: The 18th National AL Council was held in 2009 at BICC and it saw several changes in the party leadership. Syed Ashraful Islam was elected as General Secretary. Later in 2012, the party’s 19th National Council was held at Suhrawardy Udyan in the capital wherein Syed Ashraful Islam was re-elected as General Secretary.
OBAIDUL QUADER: The 20th National Council of Awami League was held on 23 October 2016 when the then General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam proposed the name of Obaidul Quader in the council session. Then Obaidul Quader was elected as General Secretary. Later, Obaidul Quader was reelected in the 21st council in 2019.
WHO’S NEXT: THE LIST OF PROBABLES
In Awami League, no one has been elected general secretary for three consecutive terms since 1972. As such, many people think that a new face is coming to the post of General Secretary in the next council. Others are of the view that Obaidul Quader will remain General Secretary for the third term. But due to his physical conditions, speculations are going on in the party that he will not be a candidate for this position in the next council. In this scenario, the names of politicians emerging who can replace him include, but not limited to, are: Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Dr Abdur Razzak, Mahbubul Alam Hanif, Dr Dipu Moni, Dr Hasan Mahmud, Tanjim Ahmad Sohel Taj, Bahauddin Nasim, Abdur Rahman Chowdhury, Mirza Azam and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury. There are also few others whose names are heard in the race are Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury, Kazi Zafar Ullah, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Pankaj Nath.
ELECTION FACTOR WILL BE KEY
The 22nd National Parliamentary election will be held possibly in December 2023 or January 2024. Awami League is organising its capacity all over the country with the election ahead in mind. Wherever there is a skirmish, conflict, discord, grouping in the party; strict intervention of the centre is noticeable. It has taken up the work of organisationally strengthening the party from the grassroots to the centre by resolving the organisational disputes in view of the ensuing polls. Policymakers think that national politics can be eventful around the next parliamentary polls. For this, the party’s General Secretary and leaders who can handle the crucial election situation in important positions will be considered by the concerned quarters. Therefore, prior to the central council of the party, the responsible leaders of Awami League are working to resolve the organisational conflicts.
The government’s policymakers feel that the next election may be fiercely contested with the active participation of the arch-rival BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party). So, the main challenge for Awami League will be to keep themselves united. Deprived party leaders should be activated to manage the party. Many of the activists are currently inactive because of the alleged nepotism and various shoddy activities of the ministers and MPs. Many think Awami League has also become divided at the root level due to staying in power for long. The old and retired leaders and activists of the party are fed up with the infiltrators in the party. There is a need to focus on these issues before focusing on ensuing elections. That is why, Awami League needs a seasoned as well as a fully-focused General Secretary who can keep the leaders and activists united by working tirelessly.
To conclude, analysts are of the view that the upcoming national parliamentary elections will have a clear bearing on the Awami League’s national council this year. Formulation of the manifesto of the party, organisation of the council and selection of the leadership will be made in view of the next parliamentary elections. But in the end, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will finalise who will be the new General Secretary of Awami League as the final decision is up to her to choose from among the most competent ones.
