Awami League operations continue with a ‘party office’ in Kolkata

Bangla Press Desk: In a bustling suburb adjacent to Kolkata, hundreds of commercial complexes teem with crowds day and night. Among them, one such commercial building has recently seen visitors not previously known in the area. Most regular occupants of this business space don't recognise these new faces — and understandably so. Many of these individuals, until just a year ago, were among the most powerful figures in Bangladeshi politics. They include senior and mid-level leaders of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations. In the very commercial complex where they’ve been regularly seen over the past few months, the Bangladesh Awami League has set up a ‘party office’. This party office is a recent development. After Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh on 5 August 2024, Awami League leaders and activists based in India used their homes for informal meetings and organisational tasks. Larger meetings had to be held by renting restaurants or banquet halls. Leaders say this made having a designated party office a necessity. What is the 'party office' like?

Located on the 8th floor at the back of the commercial complex, the Awami League office is indistinguishable from other offices along the corridor — light brown doors line both sides. One of these rooms, about 500–600 square feet in size, serves as the party’s workspace. There are no signboards, no portraits of Sheikh Hasina or Bangladesh’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, either inside or outside. "Not even files typical of a party office are kept here. We didn’t want this room to have any identifying markers. We needed a space for regular meetings, and we found one. Technically, it’s a commercial office. We’re using the furniture left behind by the previous occupants — chairs, tables, everything," said one Awami League leader. He added that meetings with 30–35 participants can be held here, though seating is tight. Smaller gatherings still happen at private homes. Larger meetings with 100–200 people are held in rented banquet halls or restaurants.

Who uses the party office? Following Sheikh Hasina’s departure in August 2024, many senior Awami League and affiliated leaders — including former ministers — have rented homes in and around Kolkata. Additionally, various professionals, civil servants, police officers, and retired military officials have also relocated to India. About six months ago, party sources estimated that at least 70 MPs, district-level party leaders, Upazila chairmen, and mayors — around 200 people — are based in greater Kolkata. Some live with families; others share flats with colleagues. Families occasionally travel from Bangladesh for visits.

"The number hasn’t grown significantly in recent months. Currently, around 80 MPs of the 12th Parliament, and 10–12 former MPs are here. Some who arrived have since moved on to the US, Canada, or Australia," said another leader. Senior leaders of affiliated organisations also live nearby. Most top leaders residing in the region visit the party office — though there are no fixed hours of operation. Leaders visit as needed, and not necessarily every day. The idea was to establish a permanent base, hence the office. Ordinary people using the commercial complex naturally remain unaware of the office’s presence. It's unclear how widely even party members know about it. However, it’s certain that Indian intelligence agencies are aware of it, and operations could not proceed from this office without high-level approval from India’s Ministry of Home Affairs. Running the party from abroad

For almost a year now, the Awami League has functioned from India. Sheikh Hasina is believed to be somewhere near Delhi, while most leaders are around Kolkata. Still, the president of the student wing (Chhatra League), Saddam Hussain, told BBC Bangla: “It’s not true that the party is being run from India. How many leaders of the main party and its affiliates are even abroad? Most remain in Bangladesh.” Yet, with the party chief and a significant portion of senior leadership in India, it’s natural that political directives and positions are being decided from here. Until recently, top leaders hadn’t even met Sheikh Hasina in person. On 31 July, she reportedly convened a meeting in Delhi with some top party members. Multiple leaders confirmed this to BBC Bangla but declined to reveal the agenda or location. Besides such rare in-person meetings, all party operations are conducted virtually. Separate WhatsApp and Telegram groups have been formed for different levels of leadership. Live online programmes are regularly held — sometimes joined by Sheikh Hasina herself. These sessions include discussions on Bangladesh’s political landscape, along with guidance for grassroots activists who remain in the country. Former MP Pankaj Debnath said, “With the open flow of information technology, we’re in regular contact with workers in remote areas. We can hear their views and offer direction." He added that young activists are particularly engaged online. “The youth play a crucial role in bringing change. We’re reaching them through digital platforms.” ‘Why are leaders abroad while workers are jailed?’ On social media, questions frequently arise about why grassroots activists are being beaten, jailed, or harassed in Bangladesh, while senior leaders remain in India. “This is a valid question,” said Pankaj Debnath. “But look at 1971 — if the then-leadership hadn’t fled to India and formed a government-in-exile, could the Liberation War have been coordinated? I’m not equating 1971 to now, but history offers such examples, even globally — leaders who built strength from abroad and returned to power. Think of Nawaz Sharif, Benazir Bhutto, or Tarique Rahman.” He added, “Had we stayed, we’d either be imprisoned or possibly killed. Could we then expose the current government's failures or reorganise our party?” Political direction from India Leaders based in India are determining the Awami League’s political stance in consultation with Sheikh Hasina. As Bangladesh’s interim government marks its first year, the Awami League has taken a firm position against what it calls the government's failures, led by Prof Muhammad Yunus. AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader told BBC Bangla: “This government failed on every front — their vision for a new Bangladesh is crumbling. The economy is failing, the judiciary is a joke. They blame Sheikh Hasina and India for everything. It's become an India-phobia, Hasina-phobia situation.” He continued, “Now, a year on, there’s no hype about them. People no longer believe their rhetoric. They see reality for what it is and compare — many are saying life was better under Hasina.” Even the banned Chhatra League president is in India Saddam Hussain, the banned Chhatra League president, has been in India since September 2024. “I deeply miss campus life. Even if I were home, I wouldn’t have been able to attend campus over the past year,” he said. “Thousands of Chhatra League activists can’t attend classes or take exams. Even those who pass aren’t given certificates. Their academic futures are being deliberately ruined.” He added, “This isn’t just happening to Chhatra League members — students from pro-Awami League or pro-liberation families are also being targeted too. Many were barred from taking their HSC exams simply because of their family background.” Funding the operations Though virtual campaigning is relatively low-cost, expenses still exist. Leaders in India have to cover personal costs too. How is it all funded? Multiple Awami League leaders told the BBC that well-wishers at home and abroad are supporting them financially. Obaidul Quader said, “The organisational collapse since August has brought dark times. But our workers and supporters, whether at home or abroad, are stepping up. They're helping us survive — morale is our biggest strength.” Another leader, speaking anonymously, said his family and colleagues back home send funds as needed. Pankaj Debnath added, “We’ve had to drastically change our lifestyles. It’s not that we’re living in refugee camps like in 1971. But those of us from middle- or upper-class backgrounds have had to adjust.” “In Dhaka, some never travelled without a car. Here, we use public transport. I share a flat with three others, travel by bus, train, metro, or on the back of a colleague’s motorbike. If we go somewhere together, we share the taxi fare. The idea is to live as frugally as possible on what savings we have.” How long will they remain abroad? Obaidul Quader says: “You can’t schedule a political battle like an event. But you also can’t avoid the fight.” This article was originally published on Daily Sun. [Bangla Press is a global platform for free thought. It provides impartial news, analysis, and commentary for independent-minded individuals. Our goal is to bring about positive change, which is more important today than ever before.] B P/SP

Awami League operations continue with a ‘party office’ in Kolkata

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