75 years of struggle, success and achievement of Awami League

  • Ruhul Amin, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Photo: Barta24.com

Photo: Barta24.com

Based on the two-nation theory, Pakistan was formed in 1948 after the partition of the country the sole hegemony of the Muslim League in the new country was set. However, the progressive (liberal) leaders of the Bengali Provincial Muslim League led by Suhrawardy-Abul Hashem were neglected. On the other hand, the election commission declared the results of Mawlana Bhasani and Shamsul Haque invalid despite defeating the Muslim League candidate in a by-election. Later, the 'East Pakistan Awami Muslim League' was formed by the union of these two parties.

These neglected leaders of the Muslim League and another group led by Mawlana Bhasani and Shamsul Haque then planned to form a new party. According to the plan, Mawlana Bhasani was made the president and Yar Mohammad Khan the general secretary as the preparatory committee for calling a meeting. They called a meeting but could not find an auditorium to hold the meeting.

বিজ্ঞাপন

Later on June 23, 1949, Kazi Humayun Rashid of KM Das Lane called for a meeting in the Rose Garden owned by him. That afternoon, in the presence of 250-300 people, it was decided to form a new political party. There Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani proposed the name of the party. According to that proposal, the party was named 'East Pakistan Awami Muslim League'. In the case of whole Pakistan, the name is kept as 'Nikhil Pakistan Awami Muslim League'.

A committee of 40 members was formed there for the new party. Mawlana Bhasani became the first committee president. Ataur Rahman Khan, Ali Amjad Khan, Ahmed Ali Khan, Shakhawat Hossain and Abdus Salam Khan became the vice presidents.

Shamsul Haque became the general secretary. The treasurer was Yar Mohammad Khan, whose first meeting was held in the Rose Garden owned by him. At that time Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was detained in jail but he was made joint general secretary.

On the other hand, Hossain Shaheed Suhrawardy was made the president of 'Nikhil Pakistan Awami Muslim League'.

The party that started on that day has entered 75 years today after going through various crises. Among these, the party has led various democratic, political and social movements including the independence and liberation war of Bangladesh. In 1955, the Awami Muslim League Council removed the word Muslim from the name of the party after coming out of communalism and inspired by non-communal spirit.

Awami League is one of the country's oldest, non-sectarian, largest and leading political party in the Bengali national liberation struggle. The first work of building a non-communal Bangladesh started with the hands of that Awami League which was led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

From the language movement of 1952 to the nine-month liberation war of 1971 and the final victory on December 16 through the armed people's war, Awami League is the party that has led everywhere. Also, the anti-military Ayub movement of 1954, the establishment of communal harmony after the 1964 riots, the six-point movement of 1966 and the popular uprising of 1969 were all under the party's absolute control which was led by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Awami League suffered a shock after the killing of Bangabandhu and his family in 1975. However, the party came to power again in 1996 through a long struggle of twenty-one years after overcoming it with the homecoming of the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina which was led by Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After losing the election in 2001, Awami League faced the misrule of the BNP-Jamaat alliance government, the movement against repression and all the conspiracies of the undemocratic caretaker government and won the people's vote again in 2008 by announcing the 'Day Change Charter' and since then, it has won 4 consecutive terms and formed the government.

In the last 15 years, the country has made incredible progress and has become a developing country. It has ensured that the benefits of development reach the grassroots level. In addition, the party took various successful initiatives like enforcing the verdict of the murderers of the Father of the Nation, prosecuting the war criminals by establishing the 'International Crimes Tribunal' and enforcing the judgment, ensuring the people's right to vote through the fifteenth amendment to the constitution and stopping the way of illegal seizure of power.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's daughter Sheikh Hasina has done all these things. After the death of Bangabandhu, she has been successfully leading this party for more than 4 decades. The leaders and workers of the party got encouragement under her leadership. Awami League as an organization has prospered. The people of Bengal got a taste of democracy after crossing the border of dictatorship. In keeping with the evolution of time, Bangladesh is the dream adventurer of Smart Bangladesh by crossing the path of Digital Bangladesh.

Under the leadership of Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has already been promoted from a less developed country to a developing country. As a result of his long struggle and sacrifice, the Bengali nation got back the right to 'rice and vote'. The democratic movement began. Good governance, stable economy, increasing agricultural production and achieving self-sufficiency in food, dynamism in development, digital Bangladesh, expansion of education, ensuring health services, employment, increasing power generation, social safety net, food security, empowerment of women have made breakthrough development in various fields. Bangladesh has been established as a self-respecting nation in the world.

Awami League has established the people as its source of strength since its birth. The source of strength of the organization is the grassroots level leaders and activists. Therefore, the history of Awami League is the history of the glorious achievements and struggles of the Bengali nation.

75th establishment of Awami League on June 23 has already announced a 10-point program on the occasion of the anniversary (platinum jubilee). Among which, on Sunday (June 23) at sunrise, the national and party flags will be hoisted at the central office and nationwide Awami League party offices.

Tribute to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the historical Bangabandhu Bhavan premises at Dhanmondi number 32 at 7 am. At 10:30 in the morning, a delegation of the Awami League Central Executive will pay tribute at the grave of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is lying in eternal sleep in Tungipara.

The members of the delegation are: Presidium member Lieut. Colonel (Retd.) Muhammad Farooq Khan MP, Central Committee Member Abul Hasnat Abdullah MP, Presidium Member Shajahan Khan MP, Organizing Secretary SM Kamal Hossain, Agriculture and Cooperative Affairs Secretary Faridunnahar Laili MP, Education and Human Resource Affairs Secretary Begum Shamsunnahar MP, Health and Population Affairs Secretary. Dr. Rokeya Sultana MP, Central Executive Member of Parliament Sahabuddin Faraji and others.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of the founding anniversary, the program will be inaugurated at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan at 2:15 PM by hoisting the national and party flags, playing the national anthem, and flying balloons and pigeons. After that, discussion meeting and cultural program will be held at 2:30 pm. Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the event.