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Close gap with MPs

AL feels its MPs are too busy to keep in touch with grassroots leaders

Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee
Growing distances between the party's lawmakers and grassroots leaders and "arrogance" of some leaders raise concern among the ruling Awami League top brass.
The AL centre feels the gap is widening as grassroots leaders are either busy advancing their "personal agenda" or "too proud" to follow the chain of command.
The issue came up at AL General Secretary Syed Ashrafiil Islam's meeting with the joint and the organising secretaries at party president Sheikh Hasina's Dhanmondi office yesterday afternoon.
According to meeting sources, some leaders observed that a chaotic situation had been created in some district units due to conflicts between the MPs and their rival leaders.
Highlighting the situation, AL Joint General Secretary Mahabubul Alam Hanif said none of the five lawmakers of Gaibandha attended a district unit meeting he joined on May 31.
Some leaders alleged that after becoming lawmakers, many party leaders seem reluctant to be in touch with the grassroots.
The AL leaders at the meeting recommended that Syed Ashraf organise a meeting with divisional representatives and take steps for holding councils to units with expired committees to address the issue.
In response, Ashraf said no leaders, from union level to the centre, are indispensable for the AL as it is an activist-based party, which has no shortage of leaders with potentials.
He also advised party lawmakers to work in unison with the grassroots leaders in a bid to strengthen the organisation.
The party leaders discussed the issue at a time when infighting has taken a turn for the worse and several lawmakers and district leaders have been accused of fanning and taking sides in the feuds in several AL units and its associate bodies.
On May 20, Phulgazi unazila chairman Ekramul Haque, also the presi-
dent of upazila Awami League, was shot and burnt alive in broad daylight in Feni. Some party men have already admitted to their involvement in the killing and most of them are loyal to local MP and Feni district AL general secretary Nizam Hazari.
Seven people, including an AL leader and a lawyer, were abducted and killed in Narayanganj in April. Primary investigation has found links of some local party men to the incident.
In Laxmipur, a number of ruling party activists were killed in recent months allegedly because of internal feuds.
Ashraf said the party chief was embarrassed and annoyed over the occurrences in Narayanganj and Feni, meeting sources said.
Besides, some leaders alleged that the committee of Chittagong City (North) AL was formed under the direction of part)' presidium member and Housing Minister Mosharraf Hossain. This has caused a rift within the leaders and activists of the unit.
More than one organising secretary complained that they were "illogi-cally" blamed for organisational weaknesses though they were trying their best to strengthen the party.
The meeting also fixed tentative dates for the councils to seven district units: June 21 for Munshiganj, June 26 for Barguna, June 27 for Patuakhali, June 28 for Kishoreganj, July 12 for Thakurgaon, July 15 for Khulna City and July 19 for Rajshahi City.
However, the dates will be finalised after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina returns from China, sources said.