The ruling Bangladesh Awami League has resumed activities to strengthen the party at the grassroots through councils of the party's different units.
Meanwhile, party central level leaders seem to have become active centring various elections to the local government administrations.
According to party sources, the party has started holding councils at its different district, upazila and union levels. It has already completed councils in one of its districts and eight upazilas even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Leaders in-charge of different committees are now conducting tours at the grassroots centring elections to 25 municipalities scheduled for December 28 in the first phase, and elections to 61 other municipalities, on January 16 in the second phase. Similarly, the central leaders of the party are also now busy with the elections to different upazilas.
Party sources said Awami League President and Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina at a meeting of the party held on November 28 put emphasis on the councils of different committees at the grassroots. She also gave directives to complete councils of various expired committees at the district and upazila levels.
According to official party sources, so far 32 out of 78 organisational districts have been completed till December 10. The party, meanwhile, has started holding councils in the upazila and union levels.
Several leaders at the party policy-making level said, due to COVID-19 pandemic, they could not complete many of councils in the district and upazila levels. Most of the party leaders and activists had to remain busy with distribution of assistance among the people of the country during the corona period.
But, now, the party chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked them to complete councils of different districts and upazilas in compliance with health rules. As part of the directives, they have completed councils of at least eight upazilas and a district in the last one month.
They said, apart from the holding of councils, party leaders are now also busy in campaigns in favour of party candidates taking part in elections to different upazilas and municipalities.
Awami League’s organising secretary, Mirza Azam, who is in-charge of Dhaka division, said, senior leaders of the party’s central committee are now busy with holding of councils of the party’s different units as well as committees of the party’s various associate bodies.
"We have completed the councils of Tungipara and Kotalipara of Gopalganj, Shibchar of Madaripur and Kaliakair upazila of Gazipur. Now Gazipur, Rajbari and Madaripur districts are prepared for holding their councils”, said Mirza Azam.
Another organising secretary of the Awami League, SM Kamal Hossain, who is the in-charge of Rajshahi division, said, recently, councils of Joypurhat district, Adamdighi upazila of Bogra and Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj district have been completed. The councils of Dupchanchia, Shibganj and Gabtali upazilas of Bogra will be held this month. Besides, councils of different unions are also being held at a time.
“Besides, central leaders, who are not lawmakers, are working for the party’s candidates in the elections to different upazilas and municipalities” he said.
