AL again misses council deadline
Shameem Mahmud
The Awami League (AL) has failed to complete long overdue councils of its district and thana units by the end of September, the third deadline set by it. The main opposition party planned to complete holding of the councils to form its new units at the grassroots level to rejuvenate it ahead of the planned massive anti-government movement in the coming winter. After missing the previous deadlines of completing the councils of thana and district units by the end of May and June this year, the AL Central Working Committee decided to complete the process by September 30. The party has so far completed councils of 300 out of 530 organisational thana units and only eight out of 72 organisational districts. The eight organisational districts are Dhaka, Gazipur, Shariatpur, Habiganj, Kurigram, Rangamati, Bandarban and Dhaka city. The party leadership will shortly announce a new time frame for the councils of the remaining district and thana units. AL insiders said intra-party conflict at the grassroots level is the main reason behind the failure to complete holding of the councils. Party leaders and activists in most units are split in several groups over formation of new committees. "The grassroots level leaders have formed rival groups with the backing of a section of central leaders, who want to have their men on the new committees," said a senior AL leader seeking anonymity. "In a number of thana and district units, top posts are being held by the same persons for years because councils were not held. But this situation must come to an end as the units need young leadership to strengthen the party for a resolute movement," he added. After its polls debacle in October 2001, the AL initiated steps to revamp its units at all levels. September 30 last year was the first deadline set for completing councils of the party's thana units and October 31 for councils of district units. The party leadership blamed non-holding of the councils in time to 'repression on political opponents by the four-party ruling alliance.' The AL then held its central council on December 26 last year and formed a new central committee comprising old guards and fresh blood to infuse dynamism in the party.
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