Awami League names Joynal Hazari in advisory council

The Awami League has inducted former Feni lawmaker Joynal Abedin Hazari into its advisory council.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 Oct 2019, 02:46 PM
Updated : 28 Oct 2019, 03:42 PM

The ruling party's General Secretary Obaidul Quader handed the controversial leader his letter of appointment at the Awami League's Dhanmondi offices on Monday.

"Senior leader Joynal Hazar personally accepted his appointment letter," said Biplab Barua, deputy office secretary of the Awami League.

The party expects Joynal to add new impetus to the organisation through his hard work, talent and wisdom, according to the letter signed by Quader.

He becomes the 44th member of the Awami League's advisory body alongside senior leaders Amir Hossain Amu and Tofail Ahmed, among others.

Joynal, who has been politically inactive in recent times, collected a grant of Tk 4 million from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for his medical treatment earlier in October.

He served as general secretary of the party's Feni district chapter from 1984 to 2004. He was also elected to parliament from Feni-2 (Sadar) constituency in 1986, 1991 and 1995. 

During the Awami League's term in government between 1996 and 2001, Joynal made the headlines after being accused of carrying out terrorist activists in Feni.

He later left the country after the military-backed caretaker government took over in 2001. The Awami League subsequently expelled Joynal due to his alleged links to dubious activities.

Joynal returned to the country after eight years following the Awami League's landslide win in the 2009 general elections. But he could not reclaim his Feni seat which is now held by Nizam Hazari.

Although he was acquitted in all the cases against him, Joynal currently maintains a low profile and edits a weekly publication called 'Saptahik Hazarika'.