The country’s oldest political party Awami League (AL) is celebrating its 75th founding anniversary, platinum jubilee, today (June 23).

Established as Awami Muslim League on June 23, 1949 at Rose Garden in the capital’s old town, it was later renamed Awami League by adopting secular politics.

AL, which led the country’s War of Independence in 1971, is now leading the nation’s economic development.

Prime Minister and AL President Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged her party men to remain prepared to thwart any kind of ill-activity and conspiracy against the country’s continued development and democracy.

In a message issued to mark the party’s founding anniversary, she recalled its contribution to the birth of Bangladesh and all democratic movements of the nation.

Sheikh Hasina said, “Anti-liberation communal groups and anti-democracy and anti-development domestic and foreign evil forces are still hatching conspiracies in various ways. I call upon the leaders and workers at all levels of the party to be ready to protect the continuity of development and democracy by confronting any conspiracy of this evil force unitedly.”

Marking the day, she recalled with respect the greatest Bangalee of all time, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She recalled AL’s founder President Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and General Secretary Shamsul Haq. Hasina recalled with respect Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy.

She also recalled with respect the four national leaders, and all martyrs of struggles for freedom, Liberation War and struggles for democracy and all leaders and activists of AL who had embraced martyrdom to turn the party into the largest organisation of the masses.

On this occasion, the AL president greeted the party leaders, activists and supporters alongside the countrymen.

Massive programmes have been chalked out to commemorate the party’s 75th founding anniversary. Banner-festoons and billboards covered the entire capital. It depicts the history and traditions of the party as well as the mega projects of the government led by the party. The programmes include hoisting of national and party flags at central and countrywide party offices at dawn, paying tributes at Bangabandhu’s portrait in front of the Bangabandhu Bhaban at 7:00 am at the historic road Dhanmondi-32.

Marking the day, a discussion will be held at Suhrawardy Udyan at 3:00 pm followed by a cultural event. AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will preside over the discussion.

Besides, a cultural programme will be held at Rabindra Sarobar and boat race and cycle procession will be arranged at Hatirjheel in the capital.

At the same time, a delegation of AL Central Working Committee will pay rich tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman by placing a wreath at his mausoleum at Tungipara in Gopalganj.

Earlier, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader announced a three-day programme to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary.

The founding anniversary of the country’s oldest political party will be celebrated at each union and ward as well.

Meanwhile, the ruling party arranged a colourful procession marking the 75th founding anniversary on Friday. The entire capital turned into a city of procession as thousands of people from every strata of life joined the procession.

A journey from Rose Garden to Ganabhaban
 On 23 June in 1949, progressive leaders and activists coming out from the Muslim League formed a new political party named the Awami Muslim League at a meeting of the supporters of Hussein Shaheed Suhrawardy at the Rose Garden situated at KM Das Lane in old Dhaka.

Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Shamsul Haq of Tangail became the party’s President and General Secretary, respectively, while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was in jail, was made Joint Secretary.

In a process of secularisation, the word “Muslim” was later dropped from the name of the party.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman came to the leadership of Awami League in its 1966 Council.

Later, he became the unparalleled leader of Bangalee nation and architect of independent Bangladesh and the Father of the Nation.

AL led the Mass Upsurge against the Pakistani occupation force in 1969, prompting it to join the Liberation War in 1971 to free the people from the centuries-old subordination.

AL became leaderless after the assassination of Bangabandhu and most of his family members on 15 August in 1975 and killing of four national leaders inside the Dhaka Central Jail on 3 November in the same year.

Bangabandhu’s daughter Sheikh Hasina took the helm of AL after returning to the country in 1981. She again united the party. She has been leading the party for four decades and formed the government five times side by side with waging different democratic movements.

After the independence, the Awami League was in power around three and a half years before the assassination of Bangabandhu and five years from 1996 to 2001 under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. The party is now running the country under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina after coming to power in 2009.

BDST: 1316 HRS, JUNE 23, 2024
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