No council, change in leadership for over a decade in four Awami League affiliates

Four affiliates of the ruling Awami League have been functioning without any councils though over a decade has elapsed since their committees were last announced.

Clockwise from top left: Sahara Khatun, Abdullah Abu, Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf, Opu Ukil, Nazma Akter and Pinu Khan Clockwise from top left: Sahara Khatun, Abdullah Abu, Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf, Opu Ukil, Nazma Akter and Pinu Khan

Sahara Khatun and Abdullah Abu have been president and general secretary of Awami Ainjibi arishad for 16 years Sahara Khatun and Abdullah Abu have been president and general secretary of Awami Ainjibi arishad for 16 years

Nazma Akter and Opu Ukil have been leading Jubo Mohila League for over a decade Nazma Akter and Opu Ukil have been leading Jubo Mohila League for over a decade

Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf and Pinu Khan had allegedly 'captured' the Mohila Awami League Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf and Pinu Khan had allegedly 'captured' the Mohila Awami League

The four organisations are Mohila Awami League, Jubo Mohila League, Tanti League and Awami Ainjibi Parishad.

Former home minister Sahara Khatun has been the president of the pro-Awami League lawyers’ association Awami Ainjibi Parishad for the past 16 years.

Sahara Khatun and Abdullah Abu have been president and general secretary of Awami Ainjibi arishad for 16 years

The MP is also a presidium member of the ruling party.

Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court Public Prosecutor Abu Abdullah has been general secretary of the Awami Ainjibi Parishad since its last council on July 20, 2000.

The organisation’s charter stipulates councils every three years.

“Our council will be held after the announcement of some district committees,” Sahara told bdnews24.com.

The last council of the Mohila Awami League was held 13 years ago.

Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf and Pinu Khan had allegedly 'captured' the Mohila Awami League

Ashrafunnesa Mosharraf became president of the organization, with Pinu Khan as general secretary, on July 12, 2003.

Many in the organisation have expressed their ire over their failure to attain leading positions in the organization.

They allege Ashrafunnesa and Pinu had ‘captured’ the organisation.

“It took time to hold the councils for district and Upazila units,” Pinu argued.

“But we are ready for the council now. We will hold it once we get the party’s clearance,” she said.

Nazma Akter and Opu Ukil have been leading Jubo Mohila League for over a decade

The 101-member committee of the Jubo Mohila League was constituted in 2002 with Nazma Akter as convenor. In a council two years later, Nazma became president and Opu Ukil general secretary of the JML.

Opu said the committee was waiting for instructions from the high command of the party before holding the council.

Tanti League Convenor Enazur Rahman Chowdhury, who took charge in 2004, however, held himself and his colleagues responsible for the failure to hold the council in more than a decade.

“We are responsible for the delay. Actually there was no pressure from the high-ups to organise the council,” he said.

“Moreover, many of us do not want the council because we may lose their posts in it,” Enazur said.

He also said the organisation would officially seek Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s permission to hold the council in December.

Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif hopes the councils of four Awami League affiliates will be held before October

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif said the party had plans to hold the councils of the four organisations in 2013, but could not owing to the violent antigovernment agitation by the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the 2014 election.

He claimed the organisations had been instructed to prepare for the councils.

“I hope their councils will be held before that of the Awami League in October,” he said.

The Awami League has deferred its own council twice. The council is now scheduled for October 22 and 23.

The last council of the ruling party was held on Dec 29, 2012. The party’s charter stipulates councils every three years, similar to the rules applicable to its affiliates.