Awami League
The Bangladesh Awami League (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ, romanized: Bānglādēsh Awāmī Līg IPA: [awɐmilːg]), often simply called the Awami League or AL, is one of the major political parties in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, Awami League successfully lead Bangladesh to the independence. One of the two most dominant parties in the country, along with its archrival Bangladesh Nationalist Party, it has been the ruling party since 2009, and has since been described as authoritarian.
Bangladesh Awami League Bangladesh People's League বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | AL |
| President | Sheikh Hasina |
| General Secretary | Obaidul Quader |
| Founders | Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Shawkat Ali Yar Mohammad Khan Shamsul Huq |
| Founded | 23 June 1949 (as the Awami Muslim League) 26 March 1971 (current form) |
| Preceded by | AML |
| Headquarters | 23 Bangabandhu Avenue, Dhaka |
| Newspaper | Uttaran |
| Think tank | Centre for Research and Information |
| Student wing | Bangladesh Student League |
| Youth wing | Bangladesh Awami Jubo League |
| Women's wing | Bangladesh Mohila Awami League |
| Farmer wing | Bangladesh Krishak League |
| Trade union wing | Bangladesh Jatiya Sramik League |
| Volunteer wing | Bangladesh Awami Swechasebak League |
| Armed wing | Jatiya Rakkhi Bahini (1972–1975) |
| Political position | Centre |
| National affiliation | Grand Alliance |
| Colors | Green |
| Slogan | Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu "Victory to Bengal, victory to Bangabandhu" |
| Anthem | "Pralayollas" "The Ecstasy of Destruction" |
| Seats in Jatiya Sangsad | 271 / 350 |
| Mayor in City Corporations | 10 / 12 |
| Councillor in City Corporations | 480 / 640 |
| Chairmen in District Councils | 52 / 64 |
| Chairmen in Subdistrict Councils | 320 / 492 |
| Chairmen in Union Councils | 2,187 / 4,554 |
| Election symbol | |
| Party flag | |
| Website | |
| albd | |
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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, and Shamsul Huq, and joined later by Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy who went on to become Prime Minister of Pakistan. The Pakistan Awami Muslim League was established as the Bengali alternative to the domination of the 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.
The party under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, led the struggle for independence, first through massive populist and civil disobedience movements, such as the Six Point Movement and 1971 Non-Cooperation Movement, and then during the Bangladesh Liberation War.
After the emergence of independent Bangladesh, the Awami League won the first general elections in 1973 but was overthrown in 1975 after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The party was forced by subsequent military regimes onto the political sidelines, and many of its senior leaders and activists were executed or jailed. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, the Awami League emerged as one of the principal players of Bangladeshi politics. Since 2009, when the Awami League came to power, Bangladesh has experienced democratic backsliding.
Amongst the leaders of the Awami League, five have become the President of Bangladesh, four have become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and one became the Prime Minister of Pakistan. The incumbent Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has headed the party since 1981.