A year of challenges for Awami League

The Awami League’s powerful momentum in the country's political landscape continued in 2021 as it did not face any challenge from opponents. There is no political force in the field now to compete with this political party which has been in power for three consecutive terms and 12 years now - a generation has not seen them out of power.

Last year, the Awami League celebrated the golden jubilee of independence in a grand procession and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation through colourful ceremonies.

Millions of leaders and activists participated in the biggest victory rally of the commemorative period.

The Awami League and its allies and affiliates have gained a huge reputation standing by the masses during the Corona period.

Though the country's oldest party did not face any challenge from its opponents on the field, it has repeatedly faced embarrassing situations due to exaggerations of the leaders, intra-party conflicts and the rise of the rebel candidates

Earlier in 2021, Abdul Quader Mirza, younger brother of Awami League general secretary, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, came to the discussion directly delivering controversial speeches against his brother. He also criticized the role of the administration in the election. His speech created an embarrassing situation in the political arena. The party, the government and the administration also felt embarrassed.

The open clash between the running mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation, Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and former mayor Sayeed Khokon was the talk of the city over the mayoral nomination. Then in January last year, their dispute over the amount of money deposited in the banks became public.

Taposh has transferred billions of taka belonging to the city corporation to a bank he owns, but he is not qualified to be the mayor, alleged Saeed Khokon.

The running mayor avoided the issue terming Sayeed Khokon's statement as defamatory and that legal action would be taken, warned Taposh.

Followers of the running and former mayors of DSCC organised processions and human chain over the issue after the fight of words had started.

Both remained silent for months after the intervention of party policymakers. However, on a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in June, the court ordered the seizure of eight bank accounts of Sayeed Khokon's business and family. He again alleged that Taposh was behind the ACC's activities. However, Taposh did not reply and avoided the matter as it is the jurisdiction of the court and the ACC.

A video, containing statements of the former Gazipur city Awami League general secretary and city mayor Mohammad Jahangir Alam, about the number of martyrs in the Liberation War and Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman went viral on social media Facebook last September.

On 3 October, the Awami League protested against Jahangir Alam for his activities against the interests of the party and violation of organisational discipline. The party expelled him from the post of general secretary and primary member of the party at a meeting of the party's central working committee meeting on November 19. Then on 25 November, the local government ministry also suspended him from the post of mayor.

Helena Jahangir is another name that has been discussed and criticised on social media for several years. She loved to introduce herself as a journalist, human rights activist, Awami League leader and singer. Last July, Helena was widely criticised for trying to form a nationwide 'Employees League'. Although she had never been involved in Awami League politics before, she became a member of the party's women's affairs sub-committee.

A video containing a sentence from her "I don't care any MP-Minister," was published on Facebook. After various discussions and criticisms on these issues, she was expelled from the sub-committee on women's affairs of the Awami League. Helena was later arrested from her Gulshan house by law enforcement agencies.

At the end of 2021, the minister of state for information and broadcasting, Murad Hasan, gave birth to another controversial issue which embarrassed the party and the government.

In an interview, he made indecent remarks about Tarique Rahman's daughter. Then, after some offensive audio of the state minister was leaked on social media with an actress, condemnation and criticism erupted across the country.

The ruling party and government were plunged into an embarrassing situation. Following this incident, prime minister Sheikh Hasina instructed him to resign from the cabinet. After that, Murad resigned from the cabinet on 7 December, citing personal reasons. Murad was also expelled from the health secretary post of Jamalpur Awami League.

Immediately, he migrated to Canada in hiding for a few days. But he was sent to Dubai from Canadian immigration. Murad, who lost his ministry, had to return from there.

Expulsion from the party and disciplinary action was taken against Abbas Ali, the mayor of Katakhali municipality in Rajshahi. Action was taken against him for opposing the sculpture of Bangabandhu. Abbas Ali was arrested on 1 December.

During the Corona period, the organizational work of the Awami League was interrupted. It was not possible to hold councils in many districts even with a few initiatives.

Councils have been held in some districts in Rajshahi and Dhaka divisions. Although there was no trend of Awami League unit council before the national council.

Dhaka city north unit council was held while preparations were underway for the Dhaka city south Awami League unit council. Similarly, the responsible leaders have been able to hold councils of 35 upazilas in Rajshahi division.

Although the organizational work did not gain momentum, the root level Awami League was strong with the union parishad elections. However, at the union level, there were a huge number of rebel candidates.

The local level Awami League leaders did not hesitate to go beyond the party's decision if they could not become a candidate for the boat. They are blaming the failure to select the right candidate.

There were rebel candidates in many unions as they were not the preferred candidates of the local MP-ministers. More than two thousand grassroots leaders have been expelled this year over the union council elections. There have also been widespread casualties in election violence.

Regarding the activities of the party in the last one year, Abdur Rahman, a member of the presidium of the Awami League, said, “The last one year has been a memorable one. We have lost many leaders from the Awami family. However, the Awami League has stood by the side of many distressed and sick people. At the same time, we have become more organized except for some limitations."

Looking back on the last one year, Awami League joint general secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim said, "We have been able to overcome this crisis with comparatively less damage with the leadership of the people's leader Sheikh Hasina. However, the ongoing conspiracy of the anti-independence forces has always acted as an obstacle in the way of development. Not only Awami League but also all people should work for the country sincerely irrespective of party conflicts."