Bangladesh
Awami League Awami League turns 72
Dhaka, June 23: Today is the 72nd founding anniversary of Bangladesh Awami League. It was established on 23 June 1949 with the establishment of the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League in the Rose Garden of Old Dhaka. Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani was the Founding President, while Shamsul Haque was the General Secretary. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was in jail at the time, was made joint general secretary.
Although the party was named Nikhil Pakistan Awami Muslim League centrally, it was later renamed the Awami League to reflect the secular political ideology.
After the victory in the 1954 elections, the word Muslim was dropped from the name of the party in the council of the Awami Muslim League held in 1955. And the word East Pakistan has been dropped from the time of Bangladesh's war of independence.
After the declaration of independence in Bangladesh, the name Bangladesh Awami League was used in all the papers of the expatriate government. The boat has been the election symbol of this party since 1970. Later, this organization, one of the oldest in the country, became the organization of the people of this country by leading every democratic, political and social movement, including the war of independence and liberation of Bangladesh.
On the occasion of the day, various programs are taken up by the party every year. Due to the coronavirus situation, various programs have been organized in compliance with the health rules. These programs include hoisting party and national flags at all offices of the country including the central office at sunrise on this day. On the same day homage was paid to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Dhanmondi No. 32 at 9 pm and a discussion will be held at 23, Bangabandhu Avenue around 3 pm.
Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina will virtually join the meeting from Ganobhaban.
A delegation of the Awami League Central Executive Parliament paid homage at the tomb of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Tungipara at 10.30 am today.
In 1975, Bangabandhu and his family- except Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, were assassinated with the motive to erase the Awami League's presence from Bangladesh. Despite that, the party returned to power on June 23 after winning the 1996 elections under the leadership of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after 21-year struggle.
Though it lost in 2001 and then had to give up as the caretaker government took charge in Jauary 11, 2007, the party came back to power in 2008 by winning 75 percent of the seats in the December 29 general elections. It has been in power since, winning both the 2014 and 2018 general elections.
