Fresh thoughts on leadership of the banned Awami League

Some new thoughts have been culminating both within and outside the party regarding the leadership of the banned Awami League. In the absence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled the country amid the mass uprising, a message has already surfaced concerning who will assume the responsibilities of the party president. Meanwhile, intense discussions are underway within the party over whether Obaidul Quader will remain as general secretary or if a new person will be given the charge.

According to multiple high-level party sources, Obaidul Quader will no longer remain general secretary. His removal is considered all but certain, attributed to his controversial role in the July movement, organizational failures, and leading the party into crisis. Quader himself hinted at this in a Facebook post. Consequently, who will replace him is now the subject of intense calculation within the Awami League. There are differing opinions across various party factions regarding whether the new general secretary will be someone living abroad, someone based in the country, or a leader currently in jail.

Since the fall of the Awami League government in the student-public uprising on August 5, 2024, the party has been effectively leaderless. Before and after party president Sheikh Hasina took refuge in India, General Secretary Obaidul Quader and several other senior leaders and former ministers secretly left the country. Many other leaders have been arrested and are in jail. In the presence of some, and in the absence of others, several cases are being tried at the International Crimes Tribunal. In one case concerning the July genocide, Sheikh Hasina has already been sentenced to death. In such circumstances, discussions have begun regarding the reorganization of the Awami League's leadership. Conversations have emerged about forming a "purified Awami League" by excluding controversial leaders and bringing forward those with relatively clean and acceptable images. In this context, names like former Forest and Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, former Narayanganj Mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy, former Speaker Dr. Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, and former Deputy Minister for Home Affairs Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Sohel Taj) have been discussed. Except for Sohel Taj, the others were arrested and later released on bail.

On the other hand, despite being in neighboring India, Sheikh Hasina has been maintaining regular contact with grassroots leaders and workers through virtual platforms. At one point, to energize the leaders and workers, she announced her home coming in December of this year. Other leaders abroad have also said they will return and face the legal proceedings. Since then, the discussion about a "purified Awami League" has largely receded into the background. However, due to recent developments, uncertainty has arisen regarding Sheikh Hasina's return in December. In an interview with the Kolkata-based media 'The Wall,' Sheikh Hasina said that if she ultimately returns and is imprisoned, or in her absence, the most senior member of the party's presidium, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, will act as caretaker president. The party's constitution also stipulates this. However, she made no comment on who would hold the position of general secretary.

Quader's Exit, Search for a New Face: A dozen leaders of the banned Awami League from various levels, currently residing in India and various European countries, have told this correspondent that Obaidul Quader will no longer be retained as general secretary. According to them, Quader's presence has been noticeably absent at various meetings and seminars of the Awami League held directly or virtually since going abroad. Party leaders in India are also not maintaining much contact with him. These leaders allege widespread discontent within the party regarding Obaidul Quader's role in the organizational fragility and the situation created by the July movement. In a Facebook post on Sunday night, hinting at his departure from the post, Obaidul Quader wrote, "New times require new people and new ideas. We should hand over the button (of leadership) to the new generation." Following this statement, the issue of appointing a new general secretary within the Awami League has gained further momentum. The question now is, who will replace him?
Multiple party sources have indicated that instead of giving full charge of the general secretary position directly, someone may be appointed on an interim basis for now. In that case, the likelihood is higher that one of the joint general secretaries will be chosen. A faction of the party wants someone who, despite being abroad, remains organizationally active. At the top of their preference list is Joint General Secretary A F M Bahauddin Nasim. If someone from outside the joint general secretaries is given the responsibility, the name of Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak is also under discussion. Additionally, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and former Organizing Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury are also on the possible list.

Another faction, however, is opposed to giving the charge to someone residing abroad. Their argument is that when leaders and workers inside the country are facing attacks, legal cases, and arrests, placing someone safely abroad in a leadership position would further increase resentment and frustration among the grassroots. According to them, if a leader currently in jail is given the responsibility, the workers and leaders will feel psychologically more at ease. They would think their leader is also in prison alongside them; consequently, field-level workers would be encouraged to remain active with the organization. In this context, the name of Joint General Secretary Dr. Dipu Moni is being discussed. Apart from her, the name of Presidium Member Shajahan Khan is also on the preference list in some circles. However, the names of former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, former Forest and Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, and former Narayanganj Mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy are no longer being discussed as actively as before. Many party leaders abroad allege that these cited about leaders colluded with the BNP and previously with the government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus to secure their release from jail. They view this matter with suspicion.

Frustration surrounding Sheikh Selim: Another party source has indicated that if senior politician Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim is chosen as the acting president, a relatively younger person may be brought in for the general secretary position. In this case, the name of cricketer all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is also being widely discussed. Aside from this, instead of former Deputy Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak, the name of former Deputy Minister for Information Mohammad A. Arafat is also being mentioned in some circles. However, a large segment of the mid-tier leaders and activists of the Awami League who are currently in hiding are demanding a return to politics not necessarily through a "purified Awami League," but through radical reform of the party and the emergence of a new leadership with a clean image. They allege that while the grassroots are demanding new leadership and reform, the top echelon is once again revolving around the same old faces and the circle of nepotism.**

Ever since the message about giving Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim the responsibility in Sheikh Hasina's absence became public, resentment, frustration, and confusion have grown within the party and at the grassroots level. In particular, after the political changeover on August 5, a section of the grassroots does not view positively the announcement of bringing forward a controversial, family-centric influential leader like Sheikh Selim to lead a party already facing an existential crisis. Mid-tier leaders, former student leaders, and the relatively younger segment of the party are demanding that to sustain the Awami League, the party must be rebuilt. They argue that there must be self-criticism and remorse over the previous government's human rights violations, corruption, and authoritarian behavior, and that leaders with clean images and relatively fewer controversies must be brought forward. The party must restart through them. However, Sheikh Hasina's recent message makes it clear that she is unwilling to hand over the party beyond the family-centric and trusted old circle—this is the accusation from the reformist camp. They believe this makes the future of the party's reformist element even more uncertain.

A portion of the Awami League's core leadership is currently residing in India and various Western countries. On the other hand, many relatively younger and mid-tier leaders and activists are in hiding within the country. There are allegations from activists inside the country that the influential leaders abroad are failing to understand the actual ground realities.
Multiple party sources have indicated that instead of giving full charge of the general secretary position directly, someone may be appointed on an interim basis for now. In that case, the likelihood is higher that one of the joint general secretaries will be chosen. A faction of the party wants someone who, despite being abroad, remains organizationally active. At the top of their preference list is Joint General Secretary A F M Bahauddin Nasim. If someone from outside the joint general secretaries is given the responsibility, the name of Presidium Member Jahangir Kabir Nanak is also under discussion. Additionally, Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif and former Organizing Secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury are also on the possible list.

Another faction, however, is opposed to giving the charge to someone residing abroad. Their argument is that when leaders and workers inside the country are facing attacks, legal cases, and arrests, placing someone safely abroad in a leadership position would further increase resentment and frustration among the grassroots. According to them, if a leader currently in jail is given the responsibility, the workers and leaders will feel psychologically more at ease. They would think their leader is also in prison alongside them; consequently, field-level workers would be encouraged to remain active with the organization. In this context, the name of Joint General Secretary Dr. Dipu Moni is being discussed. Apart from her, the name of Presidium Member Shajahan Khan is also on the preference list in some circles. However, the names of former Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, former Forest and Environment Minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, and former Narayanganj Mayor Dr. Selina Hayat Ivy are no longer being discussed as actively as before. Many party leaders abroad allege that these mentioned leaders colluded with the BNP and previously with the government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus to secure their release from jail. They view this matter with suspicion.

Frustration surrounding Sheikh Selim: Another party source has indicated that if senior politician Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim is chosen as the acting president, a relatively younger person may be brought in for the general secretary position. In this case, the name of cricketer all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan is also being widely discussed. Aside from this, instead of former Deputy Minister for Information and Communication Technology Junaid Ahmed Palak, the name of former Deputy Minister for Information Mohammad A. Arafat is also being mentioned in some circles. However, a large segment of the mid-tier leaders and activists of the Awami League who are currently in hiding are demanding a return to politics not necessarily through a "purified Awami League," but through radical reform of the party and the emergence of a new leadership with a clean image. They allege that while the grassroots are demanding new leadership and reform, the top echelon is once again revolving around the same old faces and the circle of nepotism.

Ever since the message about giving Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim the responsibility in Sheikh Hasina's absence became public, resentment, frustration, and confusion have grown within the party and at the grassroots level. In particular, after the political changeover on August 5, a section of the grassroots does not view positively the announcement of bringing forward a controversial, family-centric influential leader like Sheikh Selim to lead a party already facing an existential crisis. Mid-tier leaders, former student leaders, and the relatively younger segment of the party are demanding that to sustain the Awami League, the party must be rebuilt. They argue that there must be self-criticism and remorse over the previous government's human rights violations, corruption, and authoritarian behavior, and that leaders with clean images and relatively fewer controversies must be brought forward. The party must restart through them. However, Sheikh Hasina's recent message makes it clear that she is unwilling to hand over the party beyond the family-centric and trusted old circle—this is the accusation from the reformist camp. They believe this makes the future of the party's reformist element even more uncertain.

A portion of the Awami League's core leadership is currently residing in India and various Western countries. On the other hand, many relatively younger and mid-tier leaders and activists are in hiding within the country. There are allegations from activists inside the country that the influential leaders abroad are failing to understand the actual ground realities.