Awami League’s 22^nd national Council is scheduled to be held on December 24. To arrange it successfully, the responsible party leaders and activists are rendering their best efforts. All the relevant tasks including seating in  simultaneous meetings, delivering invitation letter, addition and detachment of party-constitution, modification of declaration form, decorating the stage are about to be completed. The job of making 80 feet by 44 feet boat-like stage in Sohrawardy Udyan in the capital is also about to finished as well.

A separate stage is going to be built for cultural phase of the event. Four-layered seat will be arranged on main stage. Party president Sheikh Hasina and general secretary Obaidul Quader will seat in the first row. Presidium members, senior leaders and members of advisory council will seat in the second row, while the central leaders will seat in rest two.

Already, three-member council operation committee has been formed to elect future leadership of the party. According to the responsible leaders of the party, though the size of the party-structure won’t increase, there might be some changes in the constitution and declaration form.  

Till the time of writing the report, the tasks of finalizing the constitution and modifying the declaration form haven’t been completed yet. Earlier, in the 21^st National Council, AL invited foreign guests; however, the party isn’t inviting any such person this time. Nonetheless, they’ll invite the foreign diplomats working in Bangladesh. Besides, the top leaders of maximum political parties including BNP will be invited.

Among the councilors and representatives, around 15,000 leaders are being invited to be present in the national council. In addition, politicians, members of ministries, MPs, representatives of civil society, service holders and foreign diplomats will be invited specially. Arrangement of lunch for around 50,000 people will be done. Besides, in addition to the invited people, the same amount of enthusiastic leaders and activists will be present, according to the party think-tank.

AL general secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday afternoon, after attending the meeting of Volunteers and Disciplinary sub-committee held at Engineers Institution in the capital, told the journalists, “There’ll be huge gathering in the national council despite the simple and ordinary vibe of the event. AL president Sheikh Hasina always thinks about general people. The council is going to be held in ordinary vibe considering the overall condition of the people of the country.

The intention to make ‘Smart Bangladesh’ within 2041 will be highlighted in the council. Keeping this matter in the mind, the slogan of this year’s council has been fixed.

12 sub-committees have been formed on the occasion of Al’s National council. According to the tradition, the chairperson of the council arrangement committee is Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Member Secretary is Obaidul Quader. Each sub-committee is holding meeting, making work-plans every day. Especially, sub-committees regarding reception, constitution and declaration form, volunteers and discipline, stage and decoration, publication and public relations are passing busier times.

Reception sub-committee secretary member and AL join general secretary Dr Dipu Moni told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “Each year, we invite politicians and well-wishers from different countries; However, this year it’s not in our plan. None will be invited to join the council from abroad except the foreign diplomats working in the country. Already, the invitation letters are being sent and the all the task related to it will be completed within December 22.”

Most of the National Council of AL were event of two-day duration; However, to reduce the cost, this time it will a one-day event. The AL leaders said this time there will be no lighting and the gates will be not so large as it were previously.

More than one leaders of the party think-tank said AL National Council is always in the attention of the mass people. It’s not only the council of a political party, but also a platform through which AL presents their dream to the nation. The dream and vision of the party will be presented in the declaration form, which will include party’s to-do to make ‘Smart Bangladesh’ and keep the wheel of economy of the country in motion.

AL’s organizing wing will not be increased. As there was announcement of forming two organizing wing named ‘Padma’ and ‘Meghna,’ the process of creating two more organizing wing was started. In this regard, convener of constitution and declaration form sub-committee and AL presidium member Dr Abdur Razzaque said, “As the new wing hasn’t been formed, decision has been taken to not increase its number anyomre. “

Abdur Razzaque said, “We wanted to know the opinions from the grass-root in this regard and we got it. The 81-memered central executive committee is big enough. Our party president told us to not increase its size as the increased number of committees will not be effective. In fact, the committee of national organization like this should be smaller.”

@The reports was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on December 20 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque