All AL units to have their own office

The ruling Awami League has decided to have around 6,000 party offices with modern facilities at all city, district, upazila, thana and municipalities headquarters, and at union levels to strengthen its organisational structure.

The party, which secured a landslide victory in the December 30 national polls and assumed state power for a third consecutive term, will finance the purchase of land and construction of offices in places where it does not currently have one, said party sources.

The offices which are already there will be modernised and equipped with the latest facilities.

In the first phase, the party will purchase land and construct offices in city, district, upazila, thana and municipality headquarters before constructing the ones at union levels.

The party high-ups asked the grassroots units to purchase land, the cost of which will be met from the party fund, sources said.

The ruling party has 11 city units, 64 district units, 497 upazila units, 341 municipality units, some 150 thana units and around 5,000 union units.

The party doesn't have any data on how many places it has offices in or where it owns land, said sources.

According to the sources, the party has its own offices in most of the districts.

The AL is going forward with the plans after constructing its central office on Bangabandhu Avenue in June, which the party financed from its own fund.

The 10-storey building was built at a cost of around Tk 15 crore and is considered the most luxurious building of any political party in Bangladesh.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader on January 12 sent letters to presidents and general secretaries of city, district, upazila, thana and municipality units asking them to inform him about the condition of their party offices by February 15.

In the letter, the AL general secretary asked the grassroots leaders whether the party had any offices in those places, who the owner of the land was, addresses and phone numbers of the offices, whether rented buildings were being used as party offices and whether the offices had internet, telephone and fax connections.

The letter also mentioned that as per the instructions of party president Sheikh Hasina, the AL had decided to construct office buildings where it has no offices.

“After getting information from grassroots [workers], we will come to know the latest condition of the offices and in how many places we need to purchase land for constructing offices,” a central committee member of AL told The Daily Star, requesting anonymity.

He also said the grassroots leaders and activists would gather more in an office with modern facilities and this would strengthen the party and help narrow the gap between party men.

Contacted, AL Treasurer HN Ashiqur Rahman said the party had taken the initiative as it was a long-standing desire of party chief Sheikh Hasina. “We want functional party offices across the country,” he added.

Asked about the budget of the initiative, he said they just took the initiatives and they would come to know the estimated cost after determining the present condition of the offices.