Two days after the Awami League's 20th national council, the ruling party yesterday announced names for 22 people, mostly old faces, for its Central Working Committee.

Even though there were speculations that fresh blood would be injected in the committee, only five relatively new AL leaders were mentioned.

The party's newly-elected General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced the names, including those of eight organising secretaries, at a press briefing at party president's Dhanmondi office.

On the last day of the party's 20th council on Sunday, Awami League President Sheikh Hasina announced the names of 21 party office bearers, including 14 presidium members, four joint general secretaries and a treasurer.

With yesterday's 22, a total of 43 leaders' names out of 81 have been announced.

The party is yet to announce its fully-fledged committee though it said the rest of the names would be declared within a week.

Eight organising secretaries' names were announced yesterday, and six of them are old faces. They are Ahmod Hossain, Misbah Uddin Siraj, BM Mozammel Haque, AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Abu Sayeed Al Mahmud Swapan, and Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury.

The new ones are Enamul Haque Shamim, former BCL president and the immediate past committee's member, and Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, son of former Chittagong City mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury.

Besides, Rokeya Sultana, a leader of Bangladesh Medical Association, was made the health and population affairs secretary replacing Badiuzzaman Bhuiyan. Shamsunnahar Chapa, former Bangladesh Chhatra League leader, was made the education and human resource affairs secretary.

 Mohibul, Rokeya and Shamsunnahar are among the new faces of the 22 names announced yesterday.

The AL amended its charter during its council and increased the number of organising secretaries from seven to eight.

Former minister Ramesh Chandra Sen and Jessore district AL leader Pijush Kumar Bhattacharjee were new faces in the AL presidium.

Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, former ministers Abdur Razzak, Faruk Khan and Abdul Mannan Khan were also included in the party's highest policymaking body.

During its national council, the AL re-elected Sheikh Hasina the president and made Obaidul Quader the new general secretary.

Tipu Munshi, a member of last committee, has been promoted to the finance secretary replacing Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

Asim Kumar Ukil has been made the new cultural affairs secretary replacing Asaduzzaman Noor. Mrinal Kanti Das has been appointed the liberation war affairs secretary, a post previously held by ABM Tajul Islam. Sujit Roy Nandi has been made the new social welfare secretary replacing Faridunnahar Laily.

Law Affairs Secretary Abdul Matin Khasru, Information and Research Secretary Afzal Hossain, Office Secretary Abdus Sobhan Golap, Religious Affairs Secretary Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Publicity and Publication Affair Secretary Hasan Mahmud, Women Affairs Secretary Fazilatunnesa Indira, Commerce and Industries Secretary Abdus Sattar and Labour and Manpower Affairs Secretary Habibur Rahman Siraj retained their posts.

The first meeting of the party presidium is scheduled to be held at the Gono Bhaban on Friday evening with AL chief Hasina in the chair.