The ruling Awami League has decided to hold its national council by July 25, the stipulated timeframe of the Election Commission (EC), AL Office Secretary and State Minister for Housing and Public Works Abdul Mannan Khan said today.

The decision came at a meeting of the AL presidium this morning, the highest policymaking body of the party, with Deputy Leader of the House Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury in the chair, reports ATN Bangla. The meeting, held at party chief Sheikh Hasina's political office at Dhanmondi, also discussed the potential ways to hold the national council of the party before July 25.

Earlier on July 4, Awami League decided to seek six more months' time from the EC to hold the party's national council to ratify provisional changes made to its constitution for registration with EC. As per the EC timeframe, the deadline for holding the party council is July 25.

Before the ninth parliamentary election, political parties were allowed to be registered with the EC by making interim changes to their charters to meet the registration criteria laid out in the Representation of the People Order (RPO). But they had to give an undertaking that they would have their amendments approved by the national council within six months after the first sitting of the ninth parliament.

-Daily Star