Meanwhile, it was announced that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, president of the Awami League, had come on stage. A wave of enthusiasm ran among the leaders and workers who came from outside Dhaka. He tried to catch a glimpse of the leaders from afar. Large TV screens were placed in the center so that senior leaders who were away from the stage could see above.
At the venue, I had the opportunity to interact with some representatives and councilors from Chattogram, Brahmanbaria, Jamalpur, Tangail, Barishal and Dhaka. I asked about councils in their respective fields. He said that there was nothing for him other than to get into the Zilla Parishads as the leadership was elected from above. No elections were held at Upazila, District, City or any level. The names of the presidents and general secretaries were announced from the Centre.
I asked a leader of the Jamalpur district Awami League how he felt about controversial leader Dr. Murad Hasan returning to the party. “He should not take back a person who has brought disrepute to the party,” he said. Will these ideas from the grassroots reach the central leaders? Even if they do, they will talk about different equations and ideas.
The council of the Awami League was no different from any other major event. Leaders on the dais gave speeches, delegates in the back rows chatted with each other. No one paid any attention to the speeches. Many grassroots leaders and workers were angry over not being given the allotted bags and food for the event.
I saw a journalist friend there with a representative card hanging around his neck. Before I could say anything, he said he had to attend a working session in the afternoon and if he used his press card, he would not be allowed. That’s why I have taken a representative card, he explained. But in the working session of the Awami League, no one said anything that would anger the leaders. Only one representative said that many workers had given up everything for the Awami League, while others had property.