Awami League: Difference between revisions

{{EngvarB|date=February 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}

| native_name      = বাংলাদেশ   আওয়ামী লীগ <br />{{small|Bangladesh People's League}}

| name            = Bangladesh Awami League

| logo_size        = 200px

| leader1_title    = Jatiya Sangsad leader

| leader1_name    = [[Sheikh Hasina]]<br />{{small|([[Leader of the House (Bangladesh)|Leader of the House]])}}

| founders        = [[Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani]]<br />[[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]]<br />[[Shawkat Ali]]<br />[[Yar Mohammad Khan]]<br />[[Shamsul Huq]]

| ideology        = {{nowrap|[[Bangladeshi nationalism]]<ref name="Political Parties in Bangladesh"/><ref>Therborn, G., and Khondker, H. H. (eds) (2006). Index. In Asia and Europe in Globalization, Leiden, The Netherlands: Brill. Available From: [[Brill Publishers|Brill]] {{doi|10.1163/9789047410812_016}} [Accessed 06 June 2022]</ref><ref>Khan, Zillur R. “Islam and Bengali Nationalism.” [[Asian Survey]], vol. 25, no. 8, 1985, pp. 834–51. JSTOR, {{doi|10.2307/2644113}}. Accessed 6 Jun. 2022.</ref><br /> [[Secularism]]<ref name="Political Parties in Bangladesh">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cmi.no/publications/file/5229-political-parties-in-bangladesh.pdf |title=Political Parties in Bangladesh |date=2014-08-01 |access-date=2022-06-10 |website=www.cmi.no |last=Jahan |first=Rounaq |quote=The Awami League which led the struggle for national liberation, self-describes itself as the ‘proliberation force’ in Bangladesh politics committed to promoting secular and social democratic values associated with the nation’s foundational principles: nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism.}}</ref><br /> [[Social democracy]]<ref name="Political Parties in Bangladesh"/>}}

| position        = {{nowrap|[[Centrism|Centre]]<ref name="researchgate">{{cite journal |last=Nazneen |first=Sohela |date=March 2009

|title=Bangladeshr Political Party Discourses and Women's Empowerment |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317689703 |journal=South Asian Journal |issue=24 |pages=44–52 |issn=1729-6242}}</ref><ref name="orfonline">{{cite web |url=https://www.orfonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/st_issue2.pdf |title=Bangladesh: Political Trends and Key Players |website=Observer Research Foundation}}</ref> to [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]<ref name="AL">{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladesh-election-latest-voters-violence-opposition-awami-league-bnp-sheikh-hasina-khaleda-zia-a8695111.html|title=Bangladesh election: Voters prepare to go to polls amid 'atmosphere of fear' for opposition activists|quote=Politics in Bangladesh has been dominated for years by the rivalry between Ms Hasina’s centre-left, socially and economically liberal Awami League and the more right-wing BNP with Begum Zia at its helm.|work=The Independent|date=23 December 2018|access-date=12 September 2019|archive-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012000/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/bangladesh-election-latest-voters-violence-opposition-awami-league-bnp-sheikh-hasina-khaleda-zia-a8695111.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

| newspaper        = ''Uttaran''

| slogan          = {{native phrase|bn|"[[Joy Bangla]]"|[[Joy Bangabondhu]]"italics=off}}<br />{{small|"Victory to [[Bangamata|Bengal]]"}}

| anthem          = {{native phrase|bn|"[[Pralayollas]]"|italics=off}}<br />{{small|"The Ecstasy of Destruction"}}

| headquarters    = 23 [[Bangabandhu Avenue]], [[Dhaka]]

The '''Bangladesh Awami League''' ({{lang-bn|বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ|Bānglādēsh Awāmī Līg|Bangladesh People's League}}), often simply called the '''Awami League''' or '''AL''',<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bssnews.net/?p=39828&print=print|title=BSS-13 AL's new office building to be inaugurated tomorrow|work=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012002/http://www.bssnews.net/?p=39828&print=print|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sentinelassam.com/news/the-ruling-bangladesh-awami-league-al-party-invited-for-poll-talks/|title=The ruling Bangladesh Awami League (AL) party Invited for Poll Talks|date=31 October 2022}}</ref> is a [[Centrism|centrist]]<ref name="researchgate"/><ref name="orfonline"/> to  [[Centre-left politics|centre-left]]<ref name="AL"/> political party in Bangladesh and one of the major political parties in [[Bangladesh]], being the ruling party of Bangladesh since 2009. <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://joyjugantor.com/?p=23738 |script-title=bn:বগুড়ায় আওয়ামী মৎস্যজীবী লীগের কমিটি গঠন |website=Joy Jugantor |date=2020-10-11 |language=bn |access-date=2020-10-11 |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012012/https://joyjugantor.com/%e0%a6%ac%e0%a6%97%e0%a7%81%e0%a7%9c%e0%a6%be%e0%a7%9f-%e0%a6%86%e0%a6%93%e0%a7%9f%e0%a6%be%e0%a6%ae%e0%a7%80-%e0%a6%ae%e0%a7%8e%e0%a6%b8%e0%a7%8d%e0%a6%af%e0%a6%9c%e0%a7%80%e0%a6%ac%e0%a7%80/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[All Pakistan Awami Muslim League]] was founded in [[Dhaka]], the capital of the Pakistani province of [[East Bengal]], in 1949 by Bengali nationalists [[Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani]], [[Shawkat Ali]], [[Yar Mohammad Khan]], and [[Shamsul Huq]], and joined later by [[Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy]] who went on to become Prime Minister of Pakistan. The [[All Pakistan Awami Muslim League|Pakistan Awami Muslim League]] was established as the Bengali alternative to the domination of the [[Muslim League (Pakistan)|Muslim League]] in Pakistan and over centralisation of the government. The party quickly gained a massive popular support in East Bengal, later named [[East Pakistan]], and eventually led the forces of [[Bengali nationalism]] in the struggle against [[West Pakistan]]'s military and political establishment.

In 1948, there was rising agitation in East Bengal against the omission of [[Bengali alphabet|Bengali script]] from coins, stamps and government exams. Thousands of students, mainly from the University of Dhaka, protested in Dhaka and clashed with security forces. Prominent student leaders including [[Shamsul Huq]], [[Khaleque Nawaz khan]], [[Shawkat Ali]], [[Kazi Golam Mahboob]], [[Oli Ahad]], and Abdul Wahed were arrested and the police were accused of repression while charging protesters. In March, senior Bengali political leaders were attacked whilst leading protests demanding that [[Bengali language|Bengali]] be declared an official language in Pakistan. The leaders included [[A. K. Fazlul Huq]], the former Prime Minister of undivided Bengal.<ref name=helal263>{{cite book |last=Al Helal |first=Bashir |author-link=Bashir Al Helal |date=2003 |title=Bhasa Andolaner Itihas |trans-title=History of the Language Movement |language=bn |location=Dhaka |publisher=[[Agamee Prakashani]] |pages=263–265 |isbn=978-984-401-523-4}}</ref> Amidst the rising discontent in East Bengal, Jinnah visited Dhaka and announced that Urdu would be sole state language of Pakistan given its significance to Islamic nationalism in South Asia.<ref name=uddin>{{Cite book |last=Uddin |first=Sufia M. |year=2006 |title=Constructing Bangladesh: Religion, Ethnicity, and Language in an Islamic Nation |publisher=The University of North Carolina Press |pages=1–4 |isbn=0-8078-3021-6}}</ref> The announcement caused an emotional uproar in East Bengal, where the native Bengali population resented Jinnah for his attempts to impose a language they hardly understood on the basis of upholding unity. The resentment was further fuelled by rising discrimination against Bengalis in government, industry, bureaucracy and the armed forces and the dominance of the Muslim League. The Bengalis argued that they constituted the ethnic majority of Pakistan's population and Urdu was unknown to the majority in East Bengal.<ref>[[Muhammad Shahidullah]], The Azad, 29 July 1947</ref> Moreover, the rich literary heritage of the Bengali language and the deep rooted secular culture of Bengali society led to a strong sense of linguistic and cultural nationalism amongst the people of East Bengal. The only significant language in Pakistan not written in the [[Arabic script|Persian-Arabic script]] was [[Bengali language|Bengali]].<ref>{{cite book | last1=DeRouen | first1=Karl Jr. |last2=Heo |first2=Uk |date=2007 |title=Civil Wars of the World: Major Conflicts Since World War II |publisher=ABC-CLIO |location=Santa Barbara, Calif. |page=594 |isbn=978-1-85109-919-1}}</ref> Against this backdrop, Bengali nationalism began to take root within the Muslim League and the party's Bengali members began to take a stand for recognition.

The [[Six point movement|6-point demands]], proposed by Mujib, were widely accepted by the East Pakistani populace, as they proposed greater autonomy for the provinces of Pakistan. After the so-called [[Agartala Conspiracy Case]], and subsequent end of the Ayub Khan's regime in Pakistan, the Awami League and its leader Sheikh Mujib reached the peak of their popularity among the East Pakistani Bengali population. In the elections of 1970, the Awami League won 167 of 169 East Pakistan seats in the National Assembly but none of West Pakistan's 138 seats. It also won 288 of the 300 provincial assembly seats in East Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://storyofpakistan.com/general-elections |title=General Elections 1970 |website=Story of Pakistan |date=June 2003 |access-date=1 November 2015 |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012008/http://storyofpakistan.com/general-elections/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ghazali.net/book1/body_chapter_5.htm|title=Islamic Pakistan|website=ghazali.net|access-date=16 December 2004|archive-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012011/http://ghazali.net/book1/body_chapter_5.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> This win gave the Awami League a healthy majority in the 313-seat National Assembly and placed it in a position to establish a national government without a coalition partner. This was not acceptable to the political leaders of West Pakistan who feared the 6 points were a step towards breaking up the country and led directly to the events of the [[Bangladesh Liberation War]]. A particular point of disagreement was transferring 6 powers to one province which was unprecedented.{{clarify|date=August 2022}} The Awami League leaders, taking refuge in India, successfully led the war against the Pakistan Army throughout 1971. Leader Sheikh Mujib was arrested by the Pakistan Army on 25 March 1971, but the Bangladeshi people continued the fight to free themselves for nine months.

The Awami League won the [[2008 Bangladeshi general election|national election held on 29 December 2008]] as part of a larger electoral alliance that also included the [[Jatiya Party (Ershad)|Jatiya Party]] led by former military ruler General [[Hussain Muhammad Ershad]] as well as some leftist parties. According to the Official Results,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aq.x6pBU49lE&refer=asia |title=2008 Election Results |work=Bloomberg |date=30 December 2008 |access-date=5 March 2022}}</ref> Bangladesh Awami League won 230 out of 299 constituencies, and together with its allies, had a total of 262 parliamentary seats.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} The Awami League and its allies received 57% of the total votes cast. The AL alone got 48%, compared to 36% of the other major alliance led by the BNP which by itself got 33% of the votes. Sheikh Hasina, as party head, became the new Prime Minister. Her term of office began in January 2009.<ref>{{cite news |last=Tusher |first=Hasan Jahid |date=31 December 2008 |title=Hasina wants to work with opposition |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=69406 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=31 December 2008 |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012016/https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-69406 |url-status=live }}</ref> The current cabinet has several new faces, including three women in prominent positions: Dr [[Dipu Moni]] (Foreign Minister), [[Matia Chowdhury]] (Agriculture Minister) and [[Sahara Khatun]] (Home Minister). Younger MPs with a link to assassinated members of the 1972–1975 AL government are Syed Ashraful Islam, son of [[Syed Nazrul Islam]], Sheikh Taposh, son of Sheikh Fazlul Huq Moni, and Sohel Taj, son of [[Tajuddin Ahmad]].

The Bangladesh Awami League styles itself as the leader of the "pro-liberation" forces in Bangladesh, promoting secular and [[social democratic]] sections of the political establishment in the country. The party constitution states, and in two cases defines the reason for, four fundamental principles in guiding its philosophy and policies.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albd.org/autoalbd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=50 |title=The Constitution of the Bangladesh Awami League |website=Bangladesh Awami League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315031859/http://www.albd.org/autoalbd/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=125&Itemid=50 |archive-date=15 March 2022}}</ref> They include:

Before the 2008 general elections in Bangladesh, the Awami League announced in its manifesto, its "[[Vision 2021]]" and "[[Digital Bangladesh]]" action plans to transform Bangladesh into a fast-developing middle-income country by 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albd.org/autoalbd/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=367 |title=Election Manifesto of Bangladesh Awami League-2008 |website=Bangladesh Awami League |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130053141/http://www.albd.org/autoalbd/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=367 |archive-date=30 November 2022}}</ref> The party uses the term "Shonar Bangla", or golden Bengal, to describe its vision for Bangladesh to become a modern developed nation. The term is reminiscent of Bangladesh's national anthem and a utopian vision in Bengali nationalism.

* The Party Presidium:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bangladesh Awami League |url=https://www.albd.org/pages/organization |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=www.albd.org}}</ref>

The [[Centre for Research and Information]] ''CRI''  is the think-tank and research cell of the Awami League. The foundation offers political education, conducts scientific fact-finding research for political projects, grants scholarships to gifted individuals, researches the history of Awami League, and supports and encourages youth, international understanding, and development-policy co-operation.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cri.org.bd/ |title=CRI<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=9 February 2017 |archive-date=28 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012039/https://cri.org.bd/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=615465&date=2016-10-25 |title=1 crore visit Awami League facebook page in 8 days |work=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha |date=25 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161026210431/http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=615465&date=2016-10-25 |archive-date=26 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://bdnews24.com/business/2017/01/19/isoftstone-plans-bangladesh-office-following-chinas-one-belt-one-road-initiative|title=iSoftStone plans Bangladesh office following China's 'One Belt, One Road' initiative|work=bdnews24.com|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-date=28 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012038/https://bdnews24.com/business/2017/01/19/isoftstone-plans-bangladesh-office-following-chinas-one-belt-one-road-initiative|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://albd.org/index.php/updates/news/4144-live-telecast-of-awami-league-conference-reaches-millions?lang=en|title=Live Telecast of Awami League Conference reaches millions|website=Albd.org|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805021950/https://albd.org/index.php/updates/news/4144-live-telecast-of-awami-league-conference-reaches-millions?lang=en|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://albd.org/index.php/en/updates/news/3777-di-praises-al-s-research-wing-cri-while-meeting-hpm-sheikh-hasina|title=DI praises AL's research wing CRI while meeting HPM Sheikh Hasina|website=Albd.org|access-date=4 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805021815/https://albd.org/index.php/en/updates/news/3777-di-praises-al-s-research-wing-cri-while-meeting-hpm-sheikh-hasina|archive-date=5 August 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

!President<ref>{{Cite news|date=21 October 2016|title=AL holds 20th council with Sheikh Hasina as longest-serving president|work=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha|url=http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=614774&date=2016-10-21|url-status=dead|access-date=6 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107093017/http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=614774&date=2016-10-21|archive-date=7 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Prothom Alo NewsLink1">{{cite news|date=23 June 2016|script-title=bn:কতটুকু এগিয়েছে আওয়ামী লীগ|language=bn|newspaper=[[Prothom Alo]]|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/opinion/article/896209/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%93%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97|type=Opinion|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231100048/http://www.prothomalo.com/opinion/article/896209/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%9F%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%8F%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%9B%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%93%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97|archive-date=31 December 2022}}</ref>!!Elected<br /><small>(National Council; NC)</small>!!In Office!!Term length!!General Secretary<ref>{{cite news|date=21 October 2016|script-title=bn:কেমন ছিল আ.লীগের আগের সম্মেলনগুলো|language=bn|newspaper=[[Prothom Alo]]|url=http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/1004599/%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%86.%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%BE|url-status=dead|access-date=21 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201228012124/https://www.prothomalo.com/politics/%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8-%E0%A6%9B%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B2-%E0%A6%86.%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%80%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%86%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%97%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B2%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%BE|archive-date=28 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 October 2016|title=Birth of AL: Funds from sale of pens, watches paved the way|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/the-legacy-awami-league-1302331|work=The Daily Star}}</ref>

|'''NC: 1981, 87, 92, 97, 02, 09, 12, 16, 19, 22'''

[[Category:1949 establishments in East Pakistan]]