AL council July 10-11

The Awami League has set July 10-11 as the new dates for its 20th triennial council, extending the tenure of the existing central committee by three more months.

The decision was made at a meeting of the AL Central Working Committee (ALCWC) last night, where party chief Sheikh Hasina asked her cabinet and party colleagues to be careful in making public comments, sources said.

The meeting of the party's highest decision-making body was held at PM Hasina's Gono Bhaban residence.

Party leaders, including Matia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Mohammed Nasim, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Abdur Rahman, criticised Finance Minister AMA Muhith for his remarks about Bangladesh Bank and its immediate past governor Atiur Rahman over the $101 million heist from the central bank's reserves, added the sources.

Some leaders also slammed party Presidium Member Nooh Ul Alam Lenin for his statement and Facebook post against Atiur. Later in the meeting, Lenin apologised for his remarks, according to the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

On March 14, Lenin said Atiur Rahman should be removed from the governor's post immediately for his “irresponsibility” by hiding the cyber heist.

The meeting also discussed the “contemptuous” comments of Food Minister Qamrul Islam and Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque about the chief justice.

Following the discussion, PM told the meeting that a conspiracy was being hatched against the government to make the country unstable and asked everyone to remain alert.

On the stolen money, she said the government was trying its best to bring it back.

Hasina also asked the party's education, health and publicity affairs sub-committees to hold seminars before the council.

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

Earlier on September 11 last year, the ALCWC decided to hold the council in December, but failed. Then on January 9, the party decided to hold it on March 28.

At the meeting, party Organising Secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon proposed adopting a censure motion on The Daily Star for “hatching conspiracy against Sheikh Hasina and country's democracy”. He also suggested that the Star Editor Mahfuz Anam step down, according multiple sources.

He also urged the media to be careful while filing reports.