Senior AL leaders interact with grassroots at SPL's dialogue
The USAID-funded Strengthening Political Landscape (SPL) project, implemented by Democracy International, on Tuesday hosted a National Dialogue on party capacity building aiming to make senior central leaders of the Awami League listen to the party's grassroots leaders.
The event also helped the central leaders of AL to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges the party's activists face at the grassroots level.
During the event, 35 senior leaders from districts and city units of AL engaged in a fruitful discussion, said a press release of the Democracy International.
Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaque attended the dialogue as the chief guest.
AL International Affairs Secretary Dr Shammi Ahmed, Secretary of Information and Research Affairs Dr Salim Mahmud and Office Secretary Barrister Biplab Barua were among the panelists.
During the event, the grassroots leaders presented their progress, challenges, and recommendations for implementing their strategic action plans to the central leaders, seeking support and guidance. Besides, the central leaders proposed suggestions for institutionalising training, promoting women's inclusion in politics, empowering political parties, fostering party unity and increasing public outreach.
The dialogue was moderated by Dana L Olds, chief of party at the Strengthening Political Landscape (SPL) project of Democracy International.
Previously, the SPL project conducted strategic planning workshops involving 271 senior leaders of AL to support the party in strengthening internal democratic practices.
During the workshops, a comprehensive two-year action plan was created with consideration of the party's vision, mission and strategic goals, focusing on institutionalising training, promoting women's inclusion, mitigating internal conflicts and increasing party outreach.
Democracy International has provided comprehensive training to 161 master trainers, 206 young fellows and 80 senior fellows of the Awami League. Afterwards, the trainers conducted 572 training sessions, reaching over 10,075 leaders and activists within the party.
Additionally, the project has significantly promoted women's inclusion and political empowerment, impacting 7,005 women leaders of the Awami League.