Ctg AL moves to make Dec 4 rally a success

The Awami League public rally in Chattogram, where AL President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to be present as chief guest, is still a month away, but AL has already started all-out efforts to make it a success.

However, intra-party rivalry in Chattogram may negatively impact preparations, said party insiders.

The rally is scheduled to be held at Polo Ground in the port city on December 4.

AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader has already thrown a challenge to BNP, saying that AL will gather 10 times the number of people BNP's rally witnessed at the same venue on October 12.

In a programme at the capital's Agargaon on October 29, Quader said AL will gather 10 lakh people on December 4. He said BNP could hardly gather 70,000 to 80,000 people on October 12.

Meanwhile, to make the rally successful, Chattogram AL has rescheduled all other organisational programmes.

For example, the party has rescheduled councils of two vital organisational units in Chattogram, which were supposed to be held on December 1 and 4.

Mofizur Rahman, general secretary of Chattogram south district AL unit, said they have already started organisational drives to make the rally successful.

INTRA-PARTY RIVALRY A BIG CHALLENGE

Although AL leaders and activists are in unison to make the December 4 rally a grand one, intra-party rivalry may become a challenge for them.

The city unit AL is mainly divided into two factions -- one revolves around AL city unit general secretary AJM Nasir Uddin and the other one is with Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel.

Due to the rivalry, untoward incidents continue to occur on and off centring organisational events.

For example, a mourning rally of late Chhatra League leader of Omar Gani MES College, Nur Ahmed, got foiled recently, as the rival faction attacked the rally in the city's Nandan Kanan area.

AL's Eanayet Bazar ward unit organised the rally, where AJM Nasir Uddin was scheduled to be present as chief guest. The organisers alleged that followers of a Jubo League leader, who is also a follower of Nowfel, beat up activists to foil it.

Nasir was not present at the time.

Against the backdrop, a preparatory meeting for the grand rally would be held at a convention centre in the city today. AL central leaders would be present at the meeting.

Terming the incident at the mourning rally sporadic, Chattogram city unit AL vice president Altaf Hossain Chowdhury said the city unit AL is united to make the December 4 rally a success.

Contacted, Abu Sayed Al Mahmud Swapan, AL central organising secretary (Chattogram division), said it is true that there are factions in the Chattogram city unit, but it will not impact the PM's rally.

"I sat with the city leaders several times and will sit again today to talk about preparations," he said. "Awami League is a big party, and there may be differences of opinions between leaders, but I don't think it will hamper preparations."