AL setting up self-owned offices across country

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Mahbub Hasan
Published : 04:00, Aug 02, 2019 | Updated : 18:13, Aug 02, 2019

Awami League supporters are seen at party rally at Dhaka`s Suhrawardy Udyan in this March 2018 photo. FOCUS BANGLABangladesh Awami League has decided to set up party-owned offices across the country as part of its efforts to consolidate the organisation. The district and upazila offices of the party have already received letters in this regard. In the letters, the central committee has asked the wings to provide it with information regarding finalization of land and other relevant issues to set up party-owned offices.
A couple of senior party leaders have confirmed the matter to Bangla Tribune.
Sources said that the proposal was first raised at an extended meeting of the party in 2017 and was finalized after discussions at several sessions of the executive committee. The grassroots offices first received letters in this regard in January of this year.
A second round of letters was dispatched on Jun 20 to the grassroots enquiring about the progress of the initiative, state of land ownership for setting up offices and other details pertaining to it at the directives of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.
The letters have asked the grassroots offices to send in details of property ownership of current permanent and temporary party offices, rental information of temporary offices, their addresses, phone numbers and information about internet facilities available at them. In the letters, party offices that did not own its own land have been directed to take measures towards purchasing property.
Awami League Deputy Office Secretary Barrister Biplob Barua told Bangla Tribune that more than 40 out of the 73 organizational committees at the district level have already submitted their responses to the letters. Hoping that the rest of the committees would soon hand in their responses, he said, ‘Further initiatives will be taken after all information has been received.’
FILE PHOTO/Syed Zakir HossainSources said that the initiative to set up self-owned offices began as per the desire of Awami League President Sheikh Hasina. The decision was taken to ensure that the party did not suffer or become organizationally weak after having been in power for three consecutive terms.
Awami League’s central office has already been established at a high-rise building on a property owned by the party at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue.
Asked about the matter, the party’s joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif told Bangla Tribune, “Several initiatives have been taken to strengthen the party. The measures include creation of a database of all party members and setting up of self-owned party offices across the country.”
He added that work on the database was nearing completion while the process to set up party offices had begun.
He also said, “Regular conventions have been held in the recent years with the aim to help the party stay dynamic.”
Awami League has also been stepping up measures to make its associate and affiliated bodies more dynamic alongside the main party over the past few years. As part of the initiative, measures have been taken to keep control in the hands of students by setting a limit on the age of Chhatra League leaders.
Associate and affiliated bodies have been separated in accordance with the rules of the Election Commission. Regular conventions for these bodies have also been stressed although Jubo League, Krishak League and SechaSebok League have not held any conventions despite their terms having ended.
However, Awami League Joint General Secretary Abdur Rahman claimed that all the bodies would gradually be brought under the regulations and all party activities would be conducted at scheduled time periods along with the conventions.

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