Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee

Awami League's decision to not compete for two of the recently vacated seats, rather letting its allies vie for them, is aimed at strengthening its relations with partners ahead of the 12th national election, slated for January 2024.

The ruling Awami League kept faith in old faces while choosing members for its central executive committee, the party’s apex body, just like it did when electing office-bearers.

Political activities of the ruling Awami League in 2022 began slowly, after a quiet pandemic, and gathered significant momentum towards the end of the year.

Today is the last day of office for four secretaries, the top officials of the bureaucracy, as they are going on Post Retirement Leave (PRL) on the last day of this year.

With the BNP out of the equation, the competition was supposed to be between the ruling Awami League and main opposition Jatiya Party.

Among the ruling Awami League rank and file, confusion reigned about who actually tops the list of joint general secretaries.

Sheikh Hasina, who has been leading the grand old Awami League for 42 years now, will be at the party helm for the next three years as she was reelected the president for the 10th consecutive time.

The ruling Awami League is holding its 22nd triennial council today, which is likely to be a formality to keep the status quo in the party’s top leadership.

The ruling Awami League is all set to hold its 22nd triennial national council on December 24 with only one thing certain: Sheikh Hasina, who has been leading the party since 1981 after she returned home from a long exile, will be reelected as the AL president for the 10th time.

The prices of electricity, gas and diesel are set to increase one by one as the government pulls back the subsidies in keeping with the austerity measures.

The ruling Awami League has Tk 70.43 crore in the bank and the party believes the amount will rise before the next national polls, thanks to the sale of nomination forms to the aspirants.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked top bureaucrats to get ready to face any crisis in the coming days.

The Awami League seems unruffled by the BNP’s 10-point demand announced at Saturday’s rally.

The ruling Awami League yesterday drew heavy flak from its left-leaning allies for ignoring them in taking many crucial political decisions  and also for already starting “electioneering” for the next national polls.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called for an investigation into the affairs of S Alam Group, which has been in the public discourse in recent times for its alleged excessive borrowing from the banking system in violation of rules.

A massive reshuffle in the bureaucracy is awaiting the government’s nod in a year considered crucial in the lead-up to the next election.

The government and the BNP appear to be on a collision course over the venue of the latter’s much-talked about December 10 Dhaka rally as neither would budge on its stance.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday instructed the import of liquified natural gas from the spot market by the private sector as the government looks to alleviate the industrial energy crisis that is threatening to derail Bangladesh’s growth momentum.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the ruling Awami League leaders to ensure that no transport strike was called ahead of BNP’s December 10 rally in the capital.

The ruling Awami League is likely to introduce three key leadership positions in the party -- two organising secretaries and a joint general secretary -- as the government is set to announce two new geographical divisions of the country.