Awami League announces trimming subcommittee, assistant secretaries worried

Hundreds of the Awami League’s young turks have been gripped by anxiety ahead of the grand old party's National Council as the party they have served as student leaders has decided to cut its jumbo-sized subcommittee down to 100 members.

Dominated largely by senior leaders, the 467-strong subcommittee of assistant secretaries was a hope for its former student leaders who found a niche in the party through the subcommittee.

But just ahead of the National Council, the Awami League leadership has decided to cut the subcommittee to size and reduce the subcommittee membership to 100 as per its constitution.

This has led to heightened anxiety among the juniors as they try to ensure a berth on the Oct 22-23 big days for the party.

Since the declaration of dates for the mega event, junior leaders have been making a beeline regularly at the Dhanmondi office of their party leader.

Party Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap has said a total of 467 names enlisted as assistant secretaries exist with the party office currently.

Sixty-six assistant secretaries were named in the subcommittee declared after the last National Council held in 2012.

The number soon swelled to over 400.

Presidium Member Obaidul Quader was unhappy at the rise in the number of subcommittee assistant secretaries.

Last month during a preparatory event for the National Council, he said the number had mushroomed so much recently that "anyone who you barge against in the party office says he's an assistant secretary. They do not say they are assistant secretaries of the subcommittee".

He declared that the number of subcommittee assistant secretaries would be limited to 100.

Joint General Secretary Mahbub-Ul Alam Hanif had said this declaration will be implemented.

He recently told bdnews24.com, "It was pre-decided. In accordance with the organisational guidelines, the number of assistant secretaries will be kept down within 100."

An assistant secretary was not impressed. Speaking to bdnews24.com on conditions of anonymity, he said, "If it has to be sliced down now, why were so many people given the post?"

He also wondered what identity the ones axed would carry now.

A former Bangladesh Chhatra League leader demanded a thorough evaluation of these junior leaders on the basis of eligibility, efficiency and loyalty.

Many former Chhatra League leaders are now hoping for a rational rethink.