AL observes 69th founding anniversary

The new headquarters of Awami League on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital. The building is going to be inaugurated today on the occasion of 69th founding anniversary of the party. Photo: Star

Ruling Awami League is all set to get a new headquarters on its 69th founding anniversary today.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the party, would inaugurate the building on 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital around 10:00am. Later, party presidium member Mosharraf Hossain, who supervised the construction work, would hand over a token key of the building to Hasina.

With a stunning exterior decoration, the 10-storey building cost the party around Tk 15 crore, said AL leaders who described the office building as the most luxurious one for any political party in Bangladesh.  

The first three floors are 4,100 square feet each while the others 3,100 sqft each. The party president's room is on the eighth floor. The general secretary will be sitting on the seventh. The sixth floor will have rooms for the presidium members, treasurer and secretary-level leaders.

There are two conference rooms on the first and the second floors where 350 and 240 people would be able to sit at a time.

Presidents and general secretaries of AL's associate bodies would be given separate rooms, said sources in the party.

Treasurer of AL HN Ashiqur Rahman said, “Awami League is not just a political party. It itself is history. So this new building is also a symbol of history.”

All modern facilities would be available in the building, he said.

Ashiqur also said as Hasina as the party chief would visit the headquarters frequently, it would be a KPI (key point installation) and have “best security measures” in and around it.

Space has been kept in front of the building for the construction of a memorial for those killed in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack.

Spaces have also been reserved for a library, a common office for leaders, a VIP lounge, a cafeteria and a media room. The entire building is under Wi-Fi coverage.

The building has been designed and constructed by The Designers and Managers, an architectural firm. Hasina had laid the foundation stone of the building on the 68th founding anniversary of the party last year.

June 23 marks a special day in the history of the nation as the Awami League came into being on this day in 1949 at Rose Garden Palace in Old Dhaka.

In the last seven decades, the party led various movements, including 1952 Language Movement, 1966 Six-point Movement, 1969 Mass Upsurge and 1971 Liberation War.

The party used several offices at 15, Mogoltuli, Karkunbari Lane; 56 Simson Road; Nawabpur Road; Rupmahal Cinema hall's lane of Sadarghat; Purana Paltan, 122; Circuit House Road; and on Bangabandhu Avenue.

The party has had its current central office on Bangabandhu Avenue for the last 37 years.

AL EXTENDED MEETING

The ruling party is going to hold an extended meeting today ahead of several city corporation polls and national elections.

According to party leaders, the AL convened the meeting for issuing guidelines for the party men over the polls preparation.

Members of AL Central Working Committee, advisory council, national committee, presidents and general secretaries of district, city, upazila and municipality units of the party, AL lawmakers and presidents and general secretaries of pro-AL organisations would take part in the meeting to be presided over by Hasina at the Gono Bhaban.