The 22nd national council of the ruling Awami League will be held in the capital on Saturday with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as its longest-serving president while the party saw eight chiefs and nine secretaries since its founding on June 23, 1949.
Sheikh Hasina has been serving as the longest-serving president of AL, which led the country's 1971 Liberation War, for the highest nine consecutive terms for the last four decades since her election to the position on February 16, 1981.
So far, nine leaders served the AL as a general secretary with Bangabandhu and Zillur Rahman serving in that position for the highest four terms each.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the party president on January 25, 1966 and steered the party for eight years till January 18, 1974.
The first party chief, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani served for seven years from June 23, 1949 to July 27, 1956. Shamshul Haque was elected as general secretary while Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was joint general secretary.
Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively in the AL's second council held in 1953.
The third council was held in 1955 and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were reelected, president and general secretary.
Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy served as the acting party president for one year from July 27, 1956, to October 10, 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as acting president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the third time in the fourth council of Awami League held in 1957.
Maulana Abdur Rashid Tarkabagish was elected as president and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary for the fourth time in the fifth council of the party held in 1964.
The sixth council of Awami League held in 1966 was a historic one as it endorsed the historic 6-point of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected as AL president first time and Tajuddin Ahmed was elected as its general secretary.
The seventh council was held in 1968 and Bangabandhu was in jail in connection with Agartala conspiracy case. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were reelected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
The eighth council of AL was held in 1970 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Tajuddin Ahmed were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party again.
The ninth council was held in independent Bangladesh in 1972 and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL.
AHM Quamaruzzaman and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 10th council held in 1974.
The 11th council was held in 1977 and Syeda Zohra Tajuddin was elected the party's convener.
Abdul Malek Ukil and Abdur Razzak were elected president and general secretary respectively of AL in the 12th council held in 1978.
The 13th council was held in 1981 and it was a turning point for AL as around 4,000 councilors and delegates elected Sheikh Hasina as president while she was in exile. Abdur Razzak was elected as general secretary. Abdur Razzak resigned from the post in 1982 and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury became acting general secretary.
The 14th council was held in 1987 and Sheikh Hasina and Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury were elected as president and general secretary respectively of the party.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected as president and general secretary respectively in the 15th council of the party held in 1992.
Sheikh Hasina and Zillur Rahman were elected president and general secretary respectively again in 16th council held in 1997.
The 17th council was held in 2002 and Sheikh Hasina and Abdul Jalil were elected president and general secretary respectively.
Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively of AL in 18th council held in 2007.
Both Sheikh Hasina and Sayed Ashraful Islam were elected as president and general secretary respectively again in 19th council held in 2012.
The 20th council of AL was held in 2016 and Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were elected as president and general secretary respectively.
The 21st council was held on December 20-21 in 2009 at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan. Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader were reelected as president and general secretary respectively in the council.
