Unrest has entered Awami Olama League once again, with allegations of various irregularities including taking money for posts in the committee and other irregularities.
Before the formal committee has even been declared, rebellions have started in this organisation that supports the ruling Awami League. One faction has already held a press briefing, announcing its no-confidence in the declared committee.
A list of names of a partial committee of the Olama League has been making rounds on Facebook. This list indicates that Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader has approved the committee. The committee includes 32 persons in various posts including Olama League president, executive president, general secretary and other posts. After this appeared on social media, many within Olama League reacted angrily. A faction held a press briefing and various allegations were made, including that money was taken to give posts in the committee.
The other faction denied the allegations. However, the conflict within the organisation has increased, along with allegations and counter allegations.
Awami League had dissolved Olama League's activities in 2017 due to the conflicts and rifts within the organisation. Around six years later, on 20 May this year, the organisation held its first national council. Awami League's general secretary was chief guest at the council.
Due to Olama League's various controversial activities, Awami League has long been saying it has no connection with the organisation. But with the national election ahead, the ruling party has now taken initiative to draw Olama League close. As part of this initiative, Awami League has started a process of restructuring Olama League. Several leaders of the party said that unrest has stepped up in Olama League due to its internal conflicts. This situation is worrying Awami League.
Leaders of a certain faction of the organisation held a press briefing at the National Press Club on 24 June, opposing unofficially declared the committee and rejecting it. Almost all the leaders present at the press conference were leaders of various sides of the dissolved Olama League. Many of their names are on the list of the new committee too. Even so, they have rejected the committee. No Awami League leader has formally given their reaction to this press conference.
According to Awami League and Olama League sources, there are two groups of leaders among those irate with the committee. One group feels that they were not given the posts they had aspired. Those given important posts had not been in Olama League. Another group is angry as their names are not on the list. But the most anger is against Aminul Huq getting the post of general secretary. The resentful leaders claim the posts in Olama League were given in exchange of money.
Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and publicity secretary Abdus Sobhan alias Golap were present at the Olama League council held on 20 May. Sources say the committee was formed under the supervision of these two leaders. However, though efforts were made to get Abdus Sobhan's views on the present state of the organisation, he was unavailable for comment.
Many eager for president, general secretary post
Sources say that before the council, around 15 names were put forward for the posts of president and general secretary. But on the day of the council, 19 persons showed interest for the post of president and 13 for the post of general secretary.
Ruling party leaders said that in no council of central Awami League or any of its associated or affiliated organisations had such a large number of leaders openly vied for candidacy to take up committee posts. As a result, the committee was not declared on the day of the council. Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader said that the committee would be announced later.
Awami League sources say that three or four groups within Olama League had been active before its programmes were dissolved. Now all the groups want important posts. Meanwhile, Awami League leaders think that Olama League comprises pro-Qawmi madrasa elements, Tablig Jamaat, former students of Aliya madrasa and so on. It remains a dilemma to get all these differing and conflicting groups together.
A central leader of Awami League, willing to remain unnamed, told Prothom Alo that an initiative has been taken up to organise Olama League, in view of the election and opposition movement. But now there are apprehensions that due to their rifts, they will create agitation themselves once they take to the streets.
General secretary of the new committee, Aminul Huq, speaking to Prothom Alo, said that there are two positions, president and general secretary. Everyone cannot be appeased. He denied having paid money for his post, saying he had been a part of Tablig Jamaat since childhood and so perhaps hadn't been able to give that much time to active politics. But now he is devoting time to politics.
Those opposed to committee
Those, irate at the committee and who held the 24 June press briefing, included Masum Billah Nafi, Kazi Abul Hasan Sheikh Shariatpuri, Maulana Sulaiman, Anwar Hossain, Anwar Shah, Hasanuzzaman Chisti, Asaduzzaman and others. They all held important posts in Olama League before its dissolution.
Masum Billah and Sulaiman are vice presidents in the new committee. Abul Hasan is a member of the advisory council. Anwar Hossain is organising secretary and Hasanuzzaman Chisti social welfare secretary. Even so, they are not satisfied. They are particularly displeased with Aminul Huq being given the position of general secretary.
Olama League sources say that from beforehand, leaders of Gopalganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur and Faridpur were given priority in the organisation. Outside of that, Dhaka district and Chattogram district also had influence. But the president of the new committee AKM Abdul Momen Siraji was from Sirajganj. General secretary Aminul Huq was from Pabna. Attempts were made for a compromise by making Sagar Ahmed from Dhaka, the executive president. But no leaders from greater Faridpur and Chattogram were given any important posts. The leaders of these regions are unhappy about this. They have been joined by deprived leaders of other areas.
Problems at the outset
Masum Billah had vied for the post of president in the new committee. He told Prothom Alo, those who never took to the streets in the past, were now in the committee. That is why they had rejected the committee.
Kazi Abul Hasan had wanted the post of general secretary. He said that a problem at the very outset had foiled the spirit with which they had wanted to unite Olama League. The general secretary of the new committee had never been in Olama League.
In 2016 Olama League had demanded a cancellation of certain textbooks, claiming that these were filled with writings of anti-Islamic Hindu and atheist writers
Dissolved and then permitted again
Olama League has been active from 1996. At one point the organisation was afflicted with rifts and conflicts and the leaders clashed with each other. In 2009 after Awami League formed the government, the leaders of the organisation came up with demands that were contrary to the ideals and objectives of the main party.
In 2016 Olama League had demanded a cancellation of certain textbooks, claiming that these were filled with writings of anti-Islamic Hindu and atheist writers. On 10 April the same year, they formed a human chain in front of National Press Club, declaring the Bangla new year Pahela Baisakh celebration to be anti-Islamic and 'haram'. On 4 March 2017 they demanded that the law against child marriage be abolished. They demanded that the statue of the Greek goddess in front of the Supreme Court be removed and that the BPL cricket league to be cancelled.
Such demands and activities were directly contradictory to the aims and objectives detailed in Awami League's constitution. On 22 May 2017, at a meeting of the Awami League presidium at the party's Dhanmondi office, it was decided to shut down Olama League's activities. Even after that, Olama League continued these programmes, bringing up various absurd demands. In 2019, a notice signed by Awami League's office secretary Abdus Sobhan, Olama League's programmes were declared contradictory to the party ideology.
And now once again Awami League is taking up initiative to organise Olama League. But now conflict and differences over leadership have deepened even further in the organisation.