AL agrees to cut its wings to get registered

by Mahbubur Rahman
November 2, 2008

http://www.weeklyblitz.net/123/al-agrees-to-cut-its-wings-to-get-registered

Under the newly set condition by the Election Commission for registering the political parties, the parties cannot have an associated organization Awami League [AL] revised its constitution agreeing to omit the names of Bangladesh Chhatra League and Jatiya Sramik League from the list of its associated organizations in its charter.

Bangladesh Awami-League informed the Election Commission [EC] that two supporting bodies consisting of students and workers will be run by their own constitutions. The AL has also decided to correct its constitution to meet one significant registration criterion that prohibits formation of associated or affiliated bodies consisting of students and workers. The EC agreed to accept the party's revised constitution. Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain said that they are satisfied with their constitution and a notice will be issued soon to register AL.

According to the revised Representation of the People Order (RPO), a political party shall not be qualified for registration if the objectives in its constitution are at variance with those in the constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party [BNP] is expected to cancel the status of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal as associated organizations, to fulfill the condition for the registration set by the EC. BNP too is believed to correct its revised charter.

According to AL, students and workers will do politics in their respective fields under their own constitutions. They will no longer be considered as associated organizations of the party. Awami Mohila League, Krishak League, Jatiya Sramik League, Awami Juba League, Awami Swechchhashebak League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Awami Ainjibi Parishad, Tanti League, Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad and Juba Mohila League are party's associated organizations. The AL charter describes these organizations as auxiliary bodies but would be run under their own constitutions. But, the Election Commission experts committee objected to the provision of having associated organizations consisting of students and workers because the RPO does not allow it. So, only Chhatra League [student's wing of AL] and Sramik League [worker's wing] lost their status as associated organizations. As per Article 90(B)-(b)(iii) of the amended Representation of People Order [RPO] every political party should have specific provisions in its constitution 'to prohibit formation of any organisation or body as its affiliated or associated body consisting of teachers or students of any educational institution or employees or labourers of any financial, commercial or industrial institution or establishment or members of any other profession.

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