Awami League top brass urged to induct Sajeeb Wazed Joy in central committee

The Awami League grassroots leaders have demanded that the Bangabandhu's grandson Sajeeb Wazed Joy be put in a leadership role.

They made the call to induct the prime minister's son and adviser in the next central committee in his presence.

Joy attended the Council as a councillor from his ancestral Rangpur district.

The delegates started shouting slogans in a show of their approval and delight when Awami League Publicity and Publication Secretary Hasan Mahmud announced Joy's arrival at the Council venue at Dhaka’s Suhrawardy Udyan around 3:30pm.

He had initially sat with the audience in front of the stage but party leader Mostafa Jalal Mohiuddin and Pankaj Debnath escorted him to the stage after the moderator requested him to come to the podium.

There, Joy sat between Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury and General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam.

After Joy had taken the seat, Syed Ashraf asked him to stand up as everyone wanted to see him.

"Sheikh Hasina is our last resort. Now we have another last resort here. He will lead us forward," Syed Ashraf said. 

"Joy has come. His friends and classmates will also come and take the country forward," he said.

"We have grown old, have nothing much to give or have the power to give," the two-time Awami League general secretary said.

"We'll have to keep the path for the next generation open so that they can take the Awami League to its peak," added Syed Ashraf.

Representatives of Awami League's district units were speaking at the council at the time. Their speeches centred on Joy after his arrival.

"We want Joy in future leadership," Shafikur Rahman Chowdhury from Sylhet said.

Momtaz Uddin from Bogra demanded Joy be given a vital post in the party's Central Working Committee. "He has to be brought into Bangladesh's active politics," he said.

Abdus Salam from Chittagong said the grassroots wanted to see Joy in the central committee.

Dhirendra Debnath Shambhu from Barguna also said Joy should be brought to Awami League leadership, but urged his mother Hasina to stay until 'finishing her job'.

"The 160 million people are looking at Joy, who can take Bangladesh forward in your (Hasina's) absence. But you'll have to say goodbye only after finishing the fight you've started," he said.

Harunar Rashid Sheikh from Khulna asked those who want Joy in Awami League leadership to raise their hands. "Look, everyone has raised hand. Joy should be given an honourable post," he said.

Joy later left the council with his mother. He did not address the council.

Hasina said during the council that the party's current committee will be abolished after it approves the amended constitution and declaration of the party on Sunday.

A nomination board for local government election will also be formed.