AL general secretary: Hat-trick for Obaidul Quader, or a new face

With only two days left for the national council of Awami League, no one is yet to come forward as the contender for the post of the party’s general secretary, though many leaders tell their supporters and well-wishers about their interest in grabbing this post. These leaders, however, are reluctant to talk about it openly and remain silent.

The general secretary post is the most coveted post among the party’s central leaders. Party leaders and activists are more curious about who is going to be the next general secretary and the issue has become the centre of discussion. It still unclear whether Obaidul Quader is going to score a hat-trick as general secretary or there will be a new face.

The final decision will come from Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina and aspirant leaders of the party awaiting her green signal.

The 22nd national council of Awami League will be held on Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday, 24 December. New leadership will be announced in the second session of the council in the afternoon. Though new leadership comes through talks and negotiation, an election commission has been formed. Election has been held rarely to pick the party leadership and this time, new leadership is supposed to come through talks.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Awami League presidium member Amir Hossain Amu said perhaps there would be no big surprise, but the party becomes more vibrant through organising a council and this event will make the party active ahead of election.

There has been more curiosity on the general secretary post as there will be no change to the president post, he added.

Awami League said it would hold it council in a simple manner because of the global economic crisis. Usually the council lasts for two days, but this time it will be a daylong event. Leaders and activists are very enthusiastic over the council despite no fanfare this year.

Every council of Awami League draws attention for various reasons. This time, there has been talk about members of Bangabandhu's family likely to be inducted into the party’s central committee, and the number of women and young leaders likely to increase in the committee too. Besides, most of the cabinet members are likely to be excluded from the party leadership. Several senior leaders observed speculations abound among the party activists because party chief Sheikh Hasina has not revealed anything on who is going to be in the new committee and what changes are going to be made.

Sheikh Hasina, the daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been the president of Awami League since 1982 and there is no talk on her alternative in the party, so all focus turns to other posts including general secretary.

There are three tiers in the Awami League central committee; firstly, presidium members; secondly, secretaries and thirdly, executive members. There are 81 members in the central committee. There are 19 presidium members including the president and general secretary. Four of the senior presidium members died and new faces replaced them. So, one to two changes are likely in the next council.

General secretary is the head of the presidium members and party’s daily activities centres around the general secretary since it is the most coveted position after the president. The centre of attention then falls on four joint-general secretaries and eight organising secretaries.

Obaidul Quader has been the general secretary for two consecutive terms. He had been severely ill for long after he became the general secretary in 2019. Then the coronavirus pandemic broke out and he was not that active in the party’s external activities. There had been talk among party activists 2 or 3 months ago that a change to the general secretary post is likely, but Obaidul Quader has been attending the party programmes at districts for the past two months ahead of the national council. He even joined the party conference of several districts on a single day. Followers of Obaidul Quader now believe their leader is likely to retain the party post to face the oppositions’ movement ahead of the next national election. Besides, his health is in a better condition now.

The names of several other leaders have also come up for the general secretary post, with presidium members Abdul Razzaque and Jahangir Kabir Nanok in the forefront. Another presidium member Kazi Zafar Ullah and Abdur Rahman are also among the possible candidates.

On the other hand, almost all the joint-general secretaries are eager to become the next general secretary. Of them, Mahbubul Alam Hanif is the joint-general secretary-1 and his followers and well-wishers think he may be the next the general secretary because he has been joint-general secretary for long. The name of education minister Dipu Moni also came up. Some people said she might be added to the presidium member body. Joint-general secretaries Hasan Mahmud and AFM Bahauddin Nasim, among other, are contenders for general secretary post.

Four leaders of Awami League’s central committee told Prothom Alo a faction of the party wants Obaidul Quader to remain general secretary or they want to see Hasan Mahmud as the next general secretary. Followers of Hasan Mahmud think he is the leading contender for general secretary post because of his regular appearance in media and ability to put oppositions’ all movement into question.

Recently, party president Sheikh Hasina mentioned the torture of BNP-Jamaat alliance government on AFM Bahauddin Nasim and his sacrifice for the party, which is why some people from the party are considering him as the next general secretary.

Many leaders holding various party posts including organising secretary do not say anything openly, but they dream of being the general secretary. According to party sources, they will be happy, getting joint- general secretary posts. Joint-general secretaries who cannot become the general secretary. will try to retain their positions.

Anyone new from the Bangabandhu family coming to the central committee has always been the topic of discussion at every council of Awami League. This time is no exception. Party leaders and activists are curious as to whether Bangabandhu’s younger daughter Sheikh Rehana, prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby will be brought into the organisational structure of Awami League.

Several senior leaders from the grassroots who attended the Awami League’s national committee meeting on 17 December, enquired whether Joy and Putul would be active in politics. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina told these leaders that Joy and Putul are matured enough to decide for themselves and she would not force them.

There are two challenges for Awami League; one is to face the opposition’s ant-government movement and another is the 12th parliamentary election. That is why party leaders and activists will have more expectations from the new leadership and the new leaders will have to face the movement of BNP and win the parliamentary election.

Awami League held the party council three times since it came to power in 2009. This will be the fourth time. The party did not face any major test in 2014 and 2015. Awami League has been under a pressure for a ‘showdown’ since BNP held mass rallies at all divisions recently. Awami League also held large gatherings and a power showdown, according to party leaders, is likely to increase in the coming days. And all these issues are being considered in picking the new leaders.

Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the party council at Suhrawardy Udyan at 10:00am Saturday. Twenty-one thousand councilors and delegates will join the event. Thousands of leaders and activists will gather outside the venue. Overall, there will be lunch arrangements for 50 thousand people centering the council.

District, upazila and grassroots councils are usually held ahead of the national council, but the present committee could not hold many more councils in its first two-and-a-half years due to the pandemic. The party placed emphasis on holding council over the last six months and arranged conferences at 68 out 78 organising districts, mostly in November and December.

The incumbent central committee will hold it last meeting on Tuesday. The meeting will also discuss the preparation for the council.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Awami League advisory council member and chief election commissioner of this council Yusuf Hossain Humayun said, “We want no change to the president post, so all focus falls on the general secretary post. With the next election approaching, the president will select the most competent person as the next general secretary.”

This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Hasanul Banna