Dr. Md. Sirajul Haque
Bangladesh Awami League is an organization of the people of Bangladesh. The organization gave the gift to an unbroken country and nation by leading the language movement of 52, its subsequent independence movement of Bengalis, mass uprising of 1971 and independence struggle of 1971. The name of the country is Bangladesh and the name of the nation is Bengali nation. We also found the national flag to be an independent territory on the world map. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is the great human leader who gave all behind the overall achievement of the country. Inspired by his ideology, millions of Mujib soldiers have been formed all over the world including Bangladesh. In continuation of this, from the dawn of the Bengali migration to Australia, the tested soldiers of Mujib ideology came together and the name of the organization which was born 28 years ago today is Bangabandhu Parishad. Bangabandhu Parishad is a non-political organization based on Bangabandhu’s ideology.

Activists and former BCL, Jubo League, Sramik League, Swechchhasebak League and Awami League workers came together and it was decided to form a branch organization of Bangladesh Awami League in the heart of Australia. The meeting unanimously formed a 27-member working committee with Nurul Azad as president and lawyer Dr. Sirajul Haque as general secretary. Veteran freedom fighters Mizanur Rahman Tarun, Gazi Kamrul Hossain Nilu and Shafiqur Rahman were elected as the vice presidents of the committee. An Executive Council was formed with Waliur Rahman Tunu as Treasurer and Gias Uddin Mollah as Organizing Secretary. At the meeting, it was decided to celebrate the martyrdom anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The Martyrdom Anniversary of Bangabandhu was celebrated by the Police Citizen Youth Club organized by Bangladesh Awami League Australia in 1998. In 1998, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina came to Sydney, Australia to attend the Commonwealth Conference. The leader was then given a reception at the local Wentworth Hotel by the Bangladesh Awami League Australia branch. At that time the late President was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of Bangladesh Awami League, Zillur Rahman was also there.

He and PM Sheikh Hasina issued a circular approving the newly formed committee. Under the central direction, Bangladesh Awami League Australia branch has been celebrating National Mourning Day, Jail Killing Day, Independence Day, Victory Day, Bangabandhu Sheikh Hasina’s birthday and other programs every year. A booklet on all the activities of the organization was prepared and handed over to the leader at Bangabhaban in 2009. That booklet is preserved by the Awami League as a historical document.

Nurul Azam, the president of the organization, left for Bangladesh in 2007 for business reasons. Later, at the 2008 Rosebury Convention, Dr. Sirajul Haque was elected as the President and PS Chunnu as the General Secretary. Another 27-member executive council was formed. The executive council was formed with Mr. Gausul Azam Shahzada, the heroic freedom fighter, Robin Bani as its vice-president and many other dedicated activists. On July 20, 2016, a delegation led by Dr. Sirajul Haque met the Prime Minister at the Parliament House. Bangladesh-Australia has achieved a lot. Most recently, in 2017, the Faculty of Ocean Governance at the University of Western Sydney made history by placing an attractive sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu at the university. This is the first sign of Bangabandhu’s sculptor in the outside world. The contribution of Sirajul Haque, the President who is also the PhD researcher of the Open University and other dedicated Awami League workers in setting up this sculpture will be remembered forever. The Australian Awami League is not just a political organization but also a social organization of expatriate Bangladeshis. Bangabandhu Parishad Australia and its subsequent Bangabandhu Parishad Sydney organized past cultural features especially Boishakhi Mela. Through this organization, various kinds of humanitarian work have been continued by Sirajul Haque.

The writer is a lawyer and President of Bangladesh Awami League, Australia