AL council: Hasina ends day with call to fight poverty

Awami League president and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ended today’s council sessions reiterating calls to fight poverty and hunger in Bangladesh.

“We don’t want any people will live without food, clothes and other fundamental rights,” she said while giving her concluding speech at the council around 5:16pm.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 20th National Council of Bangladesh Awami League at Suhrawardy Udyan. The AL is the country’s biggest political party which steered the 1971 Liberation War.

Tomorrow, the Awami League’s existing committee will be dissolved in the first order of business. Later, councilors will elect the new face of the party.

Thousands of leaders and activists of the ruling party have started towards the programme venue since the morning.

"Bangladesh is speeding fast in super development highway - now it’s is to hold our head high," is the theme of the council which saw eight presidents since its founding in 1949.

A number of dignitaries from home and abroad are expected to present in the opening session of the council.

Two presidium members of Jatiya Party have been attending AL’s 20th council while BNP is not sending its delegation to the council, party sources said.

READ MORE: JP sends delegate to AL council

Yesterday, BNP said that it would send a delegation to the AL’s council.

The council will be entrusted with the task of electing the party's highest policymaking new working committee.

A three-member election commission has been formed with Advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, prime minister's adviser Dr Mashiur Rahman and former secretary to the government Rashidul Alam.

Capital city Dhaka and major cities and towns were illuminated while digital display boards were installed to highlight the Awami League-led government's achievements.