The Awami League, one of the oldest political parties which led the nation's freedom struggle, is slated for the19th national council on Saturday in the city with the catchphrase of taking the country towards peace, democracy, development and progress.
The 63-year-old party's President, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will inaugurate the triennial council at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan at 11am.
The top leaders of the ruling party-governed14-Party Alliance, professionals and diplomats have been invited to the inaugural function.
The council session will start at 3pm and end with cultural event.
The Prime Minister will raise the national flag at the convention venue in the morning while LGRD Minister and General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam will raise the party flag. So will the President or General Secretary of the district and metropolitan committees.
Later, Hasina will inaugurate the council by releasing pigeons and balloons in the sky.
The party sources said some 6,300 councillors, 20,000 delegates and invited guests are expected to attend the council.
As per the party constitution, the council of Awami League is to be held every three years.
The last council was held on July 24, 2009 when Hasina was chosen President and Syed Ashraf General Secretary. The tenure of present working committee of the party expired on July 23.
Awami League stalwarts Tofail Ahmed, Abdur Razzak, Amir Hossain Amu and Suranjit Sengupta who had made their personal reform proposals public, after the emergency enforced by the army-backed caretaker government in 2007, instead of placing them in the party forum, led Hasina to remove them from the highest policymaking body Presidium in the last council. They were sidelined to the least functional AL Advisory Council with no say in party affairs.
Source: Bd News24
