AL saw 8 chiefs, 9 secretaries since 1949

The 22nd national council of ruling Awami League will be held in the capital tomorrow with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as its longest-serving president.

Since its founding on June 23, 1949, the party saw eight chiefs and nine secretaries.

Hasina has been serving as the longest serving president of AL for highest nine consecutive terms for the last four decades since her election to the position on February 16, 1981.

So far, 9 leaders served the AL as general secretary with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman serving in that position for the highest four terms each.

Bangabandhu became the party president on January 25, 1966 and steered the party for eight years till January 18, 1974.

The first party chief, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani served for seven years from June 23, 1949 to July 27, 1956.

Shamshul Haque was elected as general secretary while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as joint general secretary.

Bhashani and Bangabandhu were elected president and general secretary respectively in the AL's second council held in 1953. They were reelected in the third council in 1955.

Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as the acting party president for one year from July 27, 1956 to October 10, 1957.

Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as acting president and Bangabandhu as general secretary for the third time in the fourth council in 1957.

Maulana Abdur Rashid was elected as president and Bangabandhu as general secretary for the fourth time in fifth council in 1964.

The sixth council of Awami League held in 1966 was a historic one as it endorsed historic 6-point of Bangabandhu.

Bangabandhu was elected as AL president first time and Tajuddin Ahmed its general secretary.

The seventh council was held in 1968 and Bangabandhu was in jail in connection with Agartala conspiracy case. Bangabandhu and Tajuddin were reelected as president and general secretary. They were also reelected in the eighth council in 1970.

The ninth council was held in independent Bangladesh in 1972 and Bangabandhu and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary.

AHM Quamaruzzaman and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary in the 10th council held in 1974.

The 11th council was held in 1977 and Syeda Zohra Tajuddin was elected as the party's convener. Abdul Malek Ukil and Abdur Razzak were elected president and general secretary in the 12th council in 1978.

The 13th council was held in 1981 and it was a turning point for AL as around 4,000 councillors and delegates elected Sheikh Hasina as president while she was in exile. Abdur Razzak was elected as general secretary. Abdur Razzak resigned from the post in 1982 and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became acting general secretary.

The 14th council was held in 1987 and Hasina and Sajeda Chowdhury were elected as president and general secretary.

Hasina and Zillur were elected as president and general secretary respectively in the 15th council in 1992. They were reelected president and general secretary in 16th council held 1997.

The 17th council was held in 2002 and Hasina and Abdul Jalil were elected president and general secretary. In the 18th and 19th councils held in 2007 and 2012, Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary.

The 20th council of AL was held in 2016 and Hasina and Obaidul Quader were elected president and general secretary. The 21st council was held on December 20-21 in 2009 at Suhrawardy Udyan. Hasina and Quader were reelected president and general secretary in the council.