Grassroots leaders of the ruling Awami League yesterday blamed ministers and party legislators for the defeat of Awami League-backed mayoral candidates in the recently held polls to four city corporations.
Presidents and secretaries of different Awami League ward units of Dhaka also criticised ministers and lawmakers for being aloof and not keeping in touch with grassroots leaders and activists.
During an extended meeting of the Dhaka city unit Awami League at the party's Bangabandhu Avenue central office, held ahead of the party's 64th founding anniversary on June 23, they accused the senior leaders of failing to hold councils for Awami League units year after year.
They said it led to “poor organisational structure” and that contributed to the ruling party backed candidates losing the election.
The grassroots leaders said in the last four and a half years, ministers and lawmakers “were busy with themselves” rather than looking after the party workers and activists.
Dhaka city Awami League General Secretary Mofazzol Hossain Chowdhury Maya and Joint Secretary General Qamrul Islam had to face blistering attacks from frustrated local leaders when they tried to calm them down.
The ward level leaders and activists expressed discontent loudly and even created chaos when Qamrul, who is state minister for law, was delivering his speech at the meeting.
When Qamrul urged grassroots leaders to strengthen the party, thana and ward level leaders said they did not even get a chance to talk to the party high ups.
BM Sirajul Islam, president of the now defunct Awami League ward-29, urged the top leaders to give the grassroots a voice. “You will talk and we will just listen … the party cannot run this way. You have to listen to our words,” he said.
Maya, calming people down, said there would be a meeting on June 26 to discuss the holding of the council. “If necessary, we will sit for three consecutive days,” he said, adding that if thana and ward   level leaders were ready, then committees would    be declared after the meeting .
Party sources said the council of Dhaka city unit Awami League was held on December 27, 2012, after nine years.
Party General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam had asked the unit leaders to announce ward, union and thana level committees, which are under     the unit, within two months of holding councils for them.
However, councils of 100 wards, 18 unions and 49 thana units are yet to be held.
Qamrul yesterday said the elections were a warning to the Awami League but there was nothing to be worried about. The party had to prepare for the future by taking lessons from the recent elections.