AL postpones council for third time

The ruling Awami League has again rescheduled its 20th triennial council. Now the council is planned for October 22-23.

This is the third time the council has been postponed. Initially, it was supposed to be held in December last year.

A meeting of the Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC), the highest decision-making body of the party, postpone the July 10-11 council considering the weather, and to ease the journeys of Eid holidaymakers, said AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif.

The meeting was held yesterday at the Gono Bhaban with AL President Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The AL has decided to hold the programme in October as it would be busy with month-long programmes marking the National Mourning Day on August 15. Eid-ul-Azha and Durga Puja would be celebrated in September, said party sources.

The party's previous council was held on December 29, 2012. The current committee expired on December 28 last year. In January this year, the AL decided to extend the committee's tenure by six months.

Failing to hold the council in December, the party on January 9 decided to hold the council on March 28.

It could not hold the programme that time as well due to the first and second phases of the union parishad elections.

On March 20, the AL again set a new date (July 10-11) for the programme.

Sources at yesterday's meeting said, all the sub-committees, formed for the council, placed their reports before the party chief. 

While submitting his report, AL Agriculture and Cooperatives Affairs Secretary Abdur Razzak, also chief of AL's sub-committee on amending the party constitution, hinted at bringing some amendments to the AL charter.

Sources said the party might increase the number of posts in its presidium and central committees.

Besides, the party would create two more divisional secretariat posts for ICT affairs and local government affairs.

The party also decided to create three more divisional units for Mymensingh, Faridpur and Comilla.

The ALCWC currently has 73 members: the president, the general secretary, 13 presidium members, 19 secretaries, two deputy secretaries, three joint general secretaries, seven organising secretaries, one treasurer and 26 members.