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AL council session opens today amid hopes and despair

By Farid Hossain
The Awaml league goes to Engineers' Institution today (Saturday) to stage a 2 day council session, the party s largest policy making gather Ing In more than five years.
About 2.400 councillors, hundreds of party workers, guests from other political par ties, diplomats and Intellectu als will watch Sheikh Haslna to open her 43-year old party s third council since the coun try's Independence In 1971
The opening Is set for 3pm.
Though Sheikh Haslna has said this would be like any other council session In the past, a senior Awaml league leader considered It very crucial for the future of the party
"It holds the possibility of our meteoric rise. If we are able to take the correct deci sions." he told The Dally Star adding "or else we will suffer
further erosion In popularity and public confidence."
The conference is called bi ennial council session which means the council session in the true sense of the term and according to Awaml League s constitution, should have been held In 1989 since the last session was held tn 1987
The oft-postponed council session is the culmination of a hectic organisational activity that saw holding of conferences In most of the party’s oripmisatlonal districts which are tn line with the admlnia trattvc districts.
The delegates to the council bring with them their hopes and despair, a readiness to pinpoint why the giant party failed to win the last year's parliamentary polls and even a courage to criticise the 1 year leadership of Sheikh
NMRml
The conference, like other pest council sessions, will fea ture speeches of leaders and delegates, organisational problems. possible changes in the party's manifesto and constitu tion
Awaml League leaders and rank and file expect this council to revitalise the party both politically and or^anisa Itonally
"We have been in the oppo sillon for long. Now It's time to prepare the party to win bark the state power we tost be cause of a coup In 1975. " said an Awaml League councillor, who arrived on Friday
To gain this objective, ana lysts say. the Awaml League will have to adopt new socio economic programmes that toueh the people's minds. Gone are Ihe days of criticizing the government for the sake of criticizing only, they say
The expected endorsement of the party’s new economic policy that replaces socialism with free market economy manifest the party’s tilt towards realism.
It's almost certain that Hasfna s proposal for appointing an advisory council will sal) through the conference which will also elect a new central working committee. New faces
are also likely to come In the presidium.
But the council’s focus will be on who becomes the next General Secretary. The current competitors are: Abdur Razzak. Amir Hossain Amu. Tofael Ahmed. Abdul Jalil and Mo hammad Nasim The Incumbent Begum Sajeda Chowdhury ts certain to be dropped.
Awaml League sources indicated that If the race for the office of General Secretary became too stiff among the com-Elltors. Has Ins may opt for llur Rahman. currently a Presidium member or she may even bring In ■ chirk horse.
The issue of the expulsion of Mostafa Mohsin Mantu will create a ripple In the council if not a storm
Though the council Is set for two days. It may be extended If the businesses turn too heavy to tackle.
According to programmes the opening ceremony will be simple featuring hoisting of national and Awaml League's party flags in the premises of Engineers' Institution, placing of wreaths at the portrait of Bangabandhu. recitation from Holy Quran. Geeta, Bible and Trtpitak, obituary references, speech by the convenor of the Reception Comm it tee, good will speeches by guests and Hasina's Maugural speech.
Jhe^pening ceremony will ertol y4lh a cultural function.