Hasina renews call for new Awami League leadership ahead of council

After heading Awami League for over three decades, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has tapped the party to elect a new chief in the National Council.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 15 Oct 2016, 04:06 PM
Updated : 15 Oct 2016, 04:06 PM

“From 1981 to 2016, it’s been 35 years. How much longer? Please elect a new leader,” 70-year-old Hasina said at the beginning of her speech in the party’s National Committee meeting on Saturday.

Earlier at a news conference on Oct 2, the Awami League chief said, "It has been 35 years for me. I will be most happy if they give me the chance to retire."

As the central leaders of the party and its allies, who were present in the conference call, replied, “No! No!”, the prime minister said, "But I'll be here. I won't leave the party. But if a new leader is elected, I will be happier."

After the Bangabandhu's assassination in 1975, she was elected president of the Awami League in her absence in February 1981. She returned home from New Delhi, where she had been living in exile, in May that year and took over the leadership.

She was re-elected Awami League chief, uncontested, in the six councils, including the last one held in 2012.

The 20th National Council of the party is scheduled to be held on Oct 22 and 23.

So far Hasina was the sole member of Bangabandhu’s family to attend the Awami League’s national councils, but the scenario is expected to be different this time.

Besides her sister Sheikh Rehana, the prime minister’s son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Hossain, son-in-law Khandker Mashrur Hossain Mitu, and Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby are also joining this time as councillors.

Hasina had said in a meeting earlier that the future leadership of the party would be based on the councillors’ opinion.

By the end of her speech at the Ganabhaban on Saturday, she reiterated her desire to retire.

“The Bangabandhu planted a sapling. Now it has grown into a big tree. Now you please plant a new sapling,” she said.

The 166-member National Committee of the Awami League will be formed with the members of its Central Working Committee, 21 other members picked up by the chief, and with one representative from every organisational district.