Awami League sees 8 chiefs, 9 secretaries since 1949
The 22nd national council of ruling Awami League is being held in the capital with prime minister Sheikh Hasina as its longest-serving president while the party saw eight chiefs and nine secretaries since its founding on 23 June, 1949.
Sheikh Hasina has been serving as the longest serving president of AL, which led the country's 1971 Liberation War, for highest nine consecutive terms for the last four decades since her election to the position on 16 February, 1981.
So far, 9 leaders served the AL as general secretary with Bangabandhu and Zillur Rahman serving in that position for the highest four terms each.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the party president on 25 January, 1966 and steered the party for eight years till 18 January, 1974.
The first party chief, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani, served for seven years from 23 June, 1949 to 27 July, 1956. Shamshul Haque was elected as general secretary while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as joint general secretary.
Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively in the AL's second council held in 1953.
Third council was held in 1955 and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were reelected president and general secretary.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as the acting party president for one year from 27 July, 1956 to 10 October, 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as acting president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the third time in the fourth council of Awami League held in 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the fourth time in fifth council of the party held in 1964.
The sixth council of Awami League held in 1966 was a historic one as it endorsed historic 6-point of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected as AL president first time and Tajuddin Ahmed was elected as its general secretary.
The seventh council was held in 1968 and Bangabandhu was in jail in connection with Agartala conspiracy case. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were reelected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
The eighth council of AL was held in 1970 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party again.
The ninth council was held in the independent Bangladesh in 1972 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL.
AHM Quamaruzzaman and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 10th council held in 1974.
The 11th council was held in 1977 and Syeda Zohra Tajuddin was elected the party's convener.
Abdul Malek Ukil and Abdur Razzak were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 12th council held in 1978.
The 13th council was held in 1981 and it was a turning point for AL as around 4,000 councilors and delegates elected Sheikh Hasina as president while she was in exile. Abdur Razzak was elected as general secretary. Abdur Razzak resigned from the post in 1982 and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became acting general secretary.
The 14th council was held in 1987 and Sheikh Hasina and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively in the 15th council of the party held in 1992.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively again in the 16th council held in 1997.
The 17th council was held in 2002 and Sheikh Hasina and Abdul Jalil were elected president and general secretary respectively.
Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 18th council held in 2009.
Both Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively again in the 19th council held in 2012.
The 20th council of AL was held in 2016 and Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were elected as president and general secretary respectively.
The 21st council was held on 20-21 December in 2019 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were reelected as president and general secretary respectively in the council.