DHAKA, June 23, 2018 (BSS) – Awami League’s newly constructed 10-storey
own office building with modern facilities will be inaugurated at the 23
Bangabandhu Avenue in Gulistan here today.
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally
inaugurate the activities of party office at the new building by cutting a
cake at 10 am on Saturday, coinciding with the 69th founding anniversary of the Awami
League, AL Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap told BSS on Friday.
Party insiders said during the inaugural ceremony, AL Presidium Member
and Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain will hand
over the key of the new office to the Awami League President.
After the inauguration, the Prime Minister will fix rooms for presidium
members, joint general secretaries, other leaders and associate organisations
at the building.
Awami League Organising secretary Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said the 10-
storey building was built on 8 katha of land with the party’s own finance.
Though the initial cost of the building construction was estimated Taka 10
crore, it took more money because of increased rate of construction
materials, he said.
Large rooms have been kept at the building for the AL President and its
General Secretary. President’s room is attached with a prayers room and a
restroom. There are a digital library, a VIP lounge, a journalists’ lounge, a
dormitory and a canteen at the building. Besides, it has two separate car
parking lifts and fire extinguishing facilities.
Offices of Dhaka City Awami League and AL associate bodies, including
Jubo League, Bangladesh Chhatra League, Krishak League, Swechchhasebak League
and Mahila League, will be there.
AL completed the process of taking a lease on the four-storey old office
building at the 23 Bangabandhu Avenue in 2011. Later, the party took an
initiative to construct a new building. AL President Sheikh Hasina approved
the design of the new building on April 6, 2016. Dismantling work of the old
establishment began on July 17 in 2016. Inauguration of constriction works of
the new building began on June 23 last year.
The name of ‘Bangladesh Awami League’ has been inscribed with large
steel alphabets on building’s front side. Party symbol ‘Boat’ is next to
that. A mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is on
the upper side of the building. Murals of Liberation War and surrender of
Pakistani troops at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan have also been set at the
building.
“Joy Bangla Joy Bangabandhu” slogan and four principles of the party have
been inscribed at the front wall of the building. The party has a plan to
build a permanent monument in memory of the August 21, 2004 martyrs in front
of the building.
AL sources said after the inauguration of the building, all
organisational activities of the party will be held there. But, election
campaigning and activities of party’s research wing – Center for Research and
information (CRI) – will be conducted from the party president’s Dhanmondi
political office, they said.