AL constitution keeps associate, foreign wings

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The Awami League (AL) has amended its party constitution, keeping a provision for associate organisations and foreign outfits, the AL acting president announced Monday, reports bdnews24.com.
"A meeting of the party's central working committee (CWC) has approved the proposed amendment of its constitution," Zillur Rahman told reporters after emerging from the meeting.
"The associated organisations and foreign outfits will remain," he said.
The meeting was still ongoing, he told reporters, adding that the party would apply to the Election Commission (EC) for registration on October 15 (Wednesday).
The AL CWC resumed its meeting Monday on amendments to its constitution ahead of registration with the Election Commission.
Zillur Rahman chairing the meeting being held at the AL president's Dhanmondi office.
A special committee finalised the draft amendment Sunday, keeping provisions for associate and overseas bodies.
On Saturday, the CWC had decided to maintain "all the associate organisations" and overseas units of the party.
It also demanded scrapping of two clauses of the newly amended Representation of the People's Order Ordinance, giving the EC powers to cancel candidature and declaring utility bill defaulters unfit.
Among others, presidium members Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak, Tofail Ahmed, Motia Chowdhury, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim and acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam were present in Sunday's CWC meeting.
AL has been involved in debate over the past week over whether the party would keep associate organisations or not.
As a pre-condition to being registered with the EC, parties are expected to amend their constitutions in line with the newly amended Representation of the People's Order Ordinance, which bars associate organisations.