AL chooses experienced leadership to face future challenges: Quader

Awami League (AL) has chosen experienced leadership through democratic process to face the upcoming challenges, said party general secretary Obaidul Quader.

"Awami League is united under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. The party president has decided to keep the experienced leadership to face the upcoming challenges," said Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister.

He was talking to journalists after paying rich tributes to the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in front of the Bangabandhu Bhaban in the city's Dhanmondi-32 in the morning.

The AL general secretary said there are many challenges ahead including the global crisis situation, next general election and programmes led by BNP to oust the government. Therefore, experienced leaders have been kept to face those challenges, he added.

Quader said that he became general secretary of the party three times and his duties have increased.

"It is my fortune that I obtained responsibility of Awami League and it is the decision of the Premier Sheikh Hasina," he said, adding that there are 10 more leaders in the party who have the qualifications to become the general secretary.

"...However, in view of the upcoming elections, the Prime Minister has decided to keep the experienced people in the leadership again to overcome these challenges including, militancy, sectarianism and the BNP's movement to oust the government. So, I have been elected for the third time," he added.

He further said that the leader (AL President) understands the language of the councilors' minds and eyes and thus, eligible persons have been elected to different posts of the party in a democratic framework.
"Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is our party president. There is no alternative to her. She has been the president of the party for 41 years. This is a record in the world," he continued.

About the 22nd National Council, the newly elected General Secretary of Awami League said that it was held orderly and in spontaneous manner.

"The fact that our party is united under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina has been proven in the council," he said.

Earlier, the newly-elected Awami League Central Working Committee and Advisory Council led by party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Awami League President Sheikh Hasina first laid a wreath at the portrait of Father of the Nation in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 here this morning.

The Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of profound respect to the memories of the architect of independence of Bangladesh.

Later, Sheikh Hasina along with members of the Central Working Committee and Advisory Council placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu.

Sheikh Hasina was elected President of Bangladesh Awami League - the country's oldest political party - for the 10th consecutive term, while Obaidul Qader was re-elected as general secretary for the third time in the 22nd National Council held on December 24.