Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, also the eldest daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, has been elected president of Bangladesh Awami League once again.
Besides, the current general secretary, Obaidul Quader, has retained his position for the third consecutive time.
The decision was taken at Awami League's 22nd National Council in the capital's Suhrawardy Udyan Saturday (24 December).
With this, Sheikh Hasina has been elected for the10th time as the president of her party and Quader for the third time. They will lead the party for the next three years.
Earlier in the day, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the council by hoisting the national flag and releasing pigeons and balloons at 10.30am at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan.
The main theme of this year's council is "Unnoyon Abhijatrai Deshratna Sheikh Hasinar Netritte Bangabandhur Swapner Unnoto, Samridho O Smart Bangladesh Gorar Protoye."
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader MP placed the report of the general secretary while Awami League Presidium Member and reception committee convener Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim MP delivered the address of welcome.
Around 7,000 councillors and delegates and thousands of ruling party leaders and activists thronged the venue.
Party's president and general secretary were elected in the afternoon session. A three-member election commission was formed to elect the leadership.
A total of 11 sub-committees worked for the council. As per tradition, party president Sheikh Hasina is chairman of the council preparatory committee and general secretary Obaidul Quader is its member secretary.
The Awami League did not invite any representatives of foreign political parties to the inaugural session of the council, but invited leaders of other political parties in the country, including the BNP and Jatiya Party.
Foreign envoys stationed in Dhaka were invited alongside eminent personalities of the country, ministers, and lawmakers.
Hasina becomes longest running party chief:
Sheikh Hasina has been serving as the longest serving president of AL, which led the country's 1971 Liberation War, for nine consecutive terms for the last four decades since her election to the position on February 16, 1981.
So far, 9 leaders served the AL as general secretary with Bangabandhu and Zillur Rahman serving in that position for the highest four terms each.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the party president on January 25, 1966 and steered the party for eight years till January 18, 1974.
The first party chief, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani served for seven years from June 23, 1949 to July 27, 1956. Shamshul Haque was elected as general secretary while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as joint general secretary.
Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively in the AL's second council held in 1953.
Third council was held in 1955 and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were reelected president and general secretary.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as the acting party president for one year from July 27, 1956 to October 10, 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as acting president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the third time in the fourth council of Awami League held in 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the fourth time in the fifth council of the party held in 1964.
The sixth council of Awami League held in 1966 was a historic one as it endorsed the historic 6-point of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected as AL president for the first time and Tajuddin Ahmed was elected as its general secretary.
The seventh council was held in 1968 and Bangabandhu was in jail in connection with the Agartala conspiracy case. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were reelected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
The eighth council of AL was held in 1970 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party again.
The ninth council was held in the independent Bangladesh in 1972 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL.
AHM Quamaruzzaman and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 10th council held in 1974.
The 11th council was held in 1977 and Syeda Zohra Tajuddin was elected the party's convener.
Abdul Malek Ukil and Abdur Razzak were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 12th council held in 1978.
The 13th council was held in 1981 and it was a turning point for AL as around 4,000 councilors and delegates elected Sheikh Hasina as president while she was in exile. Abdur Razzak was elected as general secretary. Abdur Razzak resigned from the post in 1982 and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became acting general secretary.
The 14th council was held in 1987 and Sheikh Hasina and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively in the 15th council of the party held in 1992.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively again in the 16th council held in 1997.
The 17th council was held in 2002 and Sheikh Hasina and Abdul Jalil were elected president and general secretary respectively.
Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in the18th council held in 2009.
Both Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively again in the19th council held in 2012.
The 20th council of AL was held in 2016 and Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were elected as president and general secretary respectively.
The 21st council was held on December 20-21 in 2019 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were reelected as president and general secretary respectively in the council.
