No move to resolve internal conflicts: AL grassroots leaders

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Fazlur Rahman Raju
Published : 03:30, Jul 07, 2019 | Updated : 03:30, Jul 07, 2019

Followers of Awami League nomination seekers gather in front of the party president`s Dhanmondi office in Dhaka, to drum up support for their respective leaders on Friday; November 9, 2018 Mehedi Hasan/File PhotoGrassroots activists and leaders of the ruling Awami League are unhappy with the top brass due to their inability in resolving intra-party conflicts between local leaders and lawmakers
Prior to the 11th parliamentary election, the ruling party had taken several steps to solve these conflicts, which included forming eight teams—headed by senior central committee leaders—to visit every district and speak with local leaders.
The teams were assigned to complete all councils of the local units before the national council scheduled to be held in October this year.
However, according to several district-level party leaders, the teams' efforts went in vain.
During a special meeting at the party headquarters on Jun 15, district leaders expressed their grievances against the central leaders, wheb they spoke about conflicts among central secretariat level leaders and district presidents and general secretaries of Dhaka division.
Leaders from Gazipur, Narayanganj, Shariatpur, Munshiganj, Madaripur, and Tangail alleged that local lawmakers were patronising anti-liberation elements and criminals.
They claimed that lawmakers did not consult with district leaders and that they and their supporters did not attend any of the party programs.
Accusing lawmakers, grassroots leaders further said that they could not complete unit committees as lawmakers from the ruling party barred them from doing so.
Gopalganj district Awami League President, Chowdhury Imdadul Haque, said that lawmakers had forced them to include men of their in the local committee, although these people were not "seasoned politicians" and many were affiliated with other parties before joining the Awami League.
Tangail district Awami League President, Fazlur Rahman, said: “We requested the central command to take action against rival candidates and lawmakers who sheltered them. But the central high command did nothing.”
He alleged that they could not complete committees of the Ghatail and Bhuapur units due to conflict between local leaders and elected Awami League representatives of the respective constituencies.
When contacted, Narayanganj district Awami League President, Abdul Hai, said that lawmakers and ministers had been receiving extra privileges from the local administration. “The administration never helps local leaders but always tries to make lawmakers and ministers happy,” he said.
He urged the party central committee to take necessary steps to resolve these issues and requested the local administration to listen to local leaders' pleas.
When asked about intra-party conflict in Narail, district Awami League General Secretary, Nizam Uddin Khan Nilu, said: “Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina has said that Awami League is for party leaders and activists and that the party’s organizational activities will be run by party leaders. But central committee leaders are yet to act in accordance with the party chief’s decision.
“Lawmakers and ministers will only survive if the party sustains," he said, adding that central leaders should resolve all conflicts for the sake of the party.
An Awami League joint general secretary, asking not to be named, admitted to the existence of widespread intra-party factionalism between district leaders and lawmakers, and that they had failed to resolve these.
However, he claimed all conflicts would be solved before the national council.
At the Jun 15 meeting, General Secretary Obaidul Quader assured local leaders that all conflicts would be resolved soon.

/zmi/
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