Hasina calls for strengthening AL grassroots

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday said ruling Awami League has taken initiatives to reconstitute the party from the grassroots aiming to enhance its organisational strength, reports UNB.

The prime minister said the party has formed eight committees for eight divisions comprising members from presidium members, advisory council and AL central working committee (ALCWC) in order to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in a befitting manner.

"Their job is to reconstruct the party from the grassroots, build the party and look after the committees constituted across the country," she said.

The prime minister said this while delivering the introductory speech at the joint meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee (ALCWC) and Advisory Council at party's central party office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in Dhaka.

She said Awami League has already declared 2020-2021 as the Mujib Year and this will be celebrated both from the government and the party.

After 15 August, 1975, the prime minister said, the dark era fell upon the whole nation where the people of the country did not get their desired development. "On the other hand, whenever AL formed governments, the lives of the people of the country changed. Today, Bangladesh is on its way to eradicate hunger and poverty."

She mentioned the AL, after returning to power in 2008, has been able to reduce the rate of poverty from 40 per cent to 21 per cent. "We're on the way to ensure all the basic rights of people that have been enshrined in the constitution."

Sheikh Hasina, also chief of the AL, said the people of the country are marching towards economic development and their fate has been changed.

"The touch of this development is visible in rural areas as villagers are now getting out from poverty and their solvency is increasing, which was the dream of the Father of the Nation," she said adding that the popularity of the AL has been increasing day by day.

"Generally, the popularity of the ruling party wans, the case is different for AL," she said.

Hasina mentioned that in the last election held in December 2018 people from all walks of life extended their support to the party. "All wanted to see the AL in power to serve them, they cast their votes for AL massively."

On the contrary, Hasina said, BNP-Jamaat nexus took the election as their tool to make some money in the name of giving party nominations. "They were not serious about the election. Their intention was to make some hefty money by nomination trade. They suffered defeat in the election as result of that,” she added.

Hasina said the aim of the government is to present a developed and prosperous life for the people of the country. "Bangladesh is marching ahead and will continue its journey towards prosperity... no one will be able to resist it."