AL Sub-Committees: Quader faces ire of ex-BCL leaders

In the face of demonstration by a group of former Chhatra League leaders, the ruling Awami League yesterday put on hold its recently “announced” sub-committees.

The committees will be announced within three months incorporating former dedicated BCL leaders, the party said.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday made the announcement at the party president's Dhanmondi office when a group of agitated BCL leaders confined him, demanding cancellation of the sub-committees, said party insiders.

Last week, the names of members of the sub-committees came to the public domain through social media. The names of the post holders were published on Awami League's official pad with signature of its Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap.

Some ex-BCL leaders expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that some former leaders and activists of Chhatra Dal, pro-BNP student body, managed to sneak into the AL sub-committees by hiding their identities.

According to the AL constitution, the party will form sub-committees to strengthen and coordinate activities of secretary-level leaders.

These sub-committees will comprise a chairman, a secretary, not more than five assistant secretaries, expert members, associate president, secretary and members.

The AL's 20th National Council in October 2016 but the party is yet to announce its sub-committees. Sub-committees under the immediate past party central committee also drew criticisms as a large number of people were included there, prompting party leaders to say that they would be cautious in forming sub-committees next time.

According to witnesses, Quader was discussing about district committee with some other senior leaders on the first floor of the new building of the party president's Dhanmondi office around 6:00pm.

At that time, some former BCL leaders, who are deprived of post, started demonstration in front of the room.

At one stage, they tried to enter the room, but it was locked from inside. Then the demonstrators chanted slogans for cancelling the committees.

Quader was confined in the room for more than half an hour, the witnesses said. Later party central leaders Jagangir Kabir Nanak, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury and SM Kamal Hossain appeared there and brought the situation under control.

Quader then said the recently announced sub-committees are put on hold and assured that new sub-committees with dedicated former BCL leaders would be announced within three months, said party insiders.

Later, the deprived former BCL leaders staged demonstration in front of the party office. They surrounded Quader's car when he was leaving the office, witnesses said.

But, no party leaders were ready to make comments on this.

An agitating former BCL leader said, “It was not any movement, rather we came here being driven by our moral responsibility to prevent intruders into Sheikh Hasina's Awami League.”

Contacted, Officer-in-Charge (Investigation) of Dhanmondi Police Station Parvez Islam, told The Daily Star a tense situation arose at AL's Dhanmondi office over a committee, but police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control.

Asked whether Obaidul Quader was confined, he replied in the negative.