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The expectations of the common people along with supporters are increasing over time
Published : 23 Jun 2024, 04:06 AM
The Awami League, which led the struggle to establish an independent state called Bangladesh, is apparently now unrivalled in national politics – no one seems to be ready to challenge the party that has been in power for four consecutive terms. As it turns 75, the main challenge confronting the party is to forge a developed nation.
The party is grandly celebrating the milestone of its enduring journey, rooted in tradition and struggle. Expectations are high within and beyond one of the oldest political parties in government.
The East Pakistan Awami League, which was established on Jun 23, 1949, is now the Bangladesh Awami League. The party, organised by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman has survived numerous national movements and existential crises to move forward.
The expectations of the common people along with supporters are also increasing over time. The former and present leaders of the party identified the vision of building a developed and prosperous Bangladesh by 2041 through developing the next generation of leadership as the main challenge ahead of the Awami League.
The Awami League has been able to ensure a lot of development for the country because of its continuation in power for one and a half decades, said Nooh-Ul-Alam Lenin, a former member of the party’s presidium.
“Sheikh Hasina is moving the country to a middle-income nation status. She has made a promise to build a developed and prosperous country by 2041 by continuing this trend," he told bdnews24.com.
Still, the Awami League also has organisational challenges.
“After the assassination of Bangabandhu and the four national leaders, there was a vacuum in the leadership of Awami League,” Lenin pointed out.
“It took like 21 years to fill that void. To avoid such a vacuum, the Awami League needs to promote the newcomers,” he said.
General Secretary Obaidul Quader acknowledged that keeping the promise of development and fulfilling the expectations are indeed a challenge.
“Our challenge now is to implement the election manifesto. We are in politics for the people. We have been with the people, and will remain with them."
Hasanul Haq Inu, president of Awami League's ally the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal or JaSoD, wished the ruling party the best.
"We hope that the Awami League will maintain the achievements and face the challenges ahead."
75 YEARS
The Awami League was formed on Jun 23 in 1949 at Rose Garden in Old Dhaka's KM Das Lane with Moulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani as the president and Shamsul Haq as the general secretary.
Sheikh Mujib, a joint general secretary, was appointed the organisation's acting general secretary in 1952. The East Pakistan Awami Muslim League convention held in the Mukul theatre in Dhaka the next year saw him being elected as general secretary.
Even though the Awami League originally went by the name Muslim League, the word Muslim was eliminated in the 1955 council to uphold the secular spirit.
East Pakistan Awami League became the new name. The organisation changed its name to Bangladesh Awami League after independence.
Through a number of developments, including political conflicts, the creation of the United Front, and success in the 1954 elections, the Awami League rose to prominence as East Pakistan's dominant political party in the 1950s.
But in 1957, Bhashani left the party owing to political disagreements and founded the National Awami Party or NAP.
After that, the Awami League built trust among the populace by leading a persistent anti-military government movement under the leadership of Sheikh Mujib, who later became Bangabandhu, or the Friend of Bangla.
In 1966, Bangabandhu presented the Six Point charter, known as the Charter of Freedom. On the basis of the six points, the Awami League won the election in 1970.
The Awami League then led the nation in the Liberation War when the Pakistani occupation forces launched genocide of unarmed Bengalis in 1971.
After nine months of bloodbath with Bangabandhu held captive in a Pakistani jail, Bangladesh defeated Pakistan and received international recognition.
Following the assassination of Bangabandhu and the massacre of his family on Aug 15, 1975, and the killings of the four national leaders on Nov 3 that year, the military administration began tormenting and oppressing the Awami League, which saw some of the leaders defecting and some others falling silent in fear of brutal suppression.
On May 17, 1981, Bangabandhu's daughter Hasina returned home as the party president and united a divided Awami League, starting a movement against the then military ruler HM Ershad. Since then, she has been holding the position of president of the party.
The Awami League returned to power by winning the 1996 election. It lost the 2001 polls, but alleged the election was engineered.
The party formed a government again after winning the 2008 election following two years of military-backed caretaker government, which took charge after a political turmoil.
The party is now ruling the country for a fourth consecutive term.
