The newly-elected Awami League Central Working Committee and Advisory Council led by party President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid tributes to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman this morning. Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina first laid a wreath at the portrait of the Father of the Nation in front of the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the capital. Read more: AL National Council: Not easy to lead both party and government, says PM The Prime Minister stood there in solemn silence for some time as a mark of respect to the memories of the architect of Bangladesh’s independence.  Later, Sheikh Hasina along with members of the Central Working Committee and Advisory Council of the party placed another wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu. Sheikh Hasina was elected President of Bangladesh Awami League — the country's oldest political party — for the 10th consecutive term, while Obaidul Qader was re-elected general secretary for the third time in the 22nd  National Council held on Saturday (December 24).

Information Minister Hasan Mahmud on Sunday said since foreign minister AK Abdul Momen is none of Awami League’s central committee, the party give him no responsibility to advocate for it in the foreign lands. “He is an MP of Awami League but none of the party’s central committee. So, Bangladesh Awami League has not given that responsibility to anyone (him) to say something on behalf of the party going abroad,” he said while exchanging views with journalists in his ministry here in the capital. Hasan, also an AL joint general secretary, said this when his attention was drawn to the comments of AL presidium member Abdur Rahman that Momen is none of the party and his recent statement (seeking Indian support for Sheikh Hasina) is not the party’s stance. Also read: Momen comments: AL expects PM to formally look into it Hasan said they believe in the power of the people. “We believe that none but the people can sustain the government,” he said. He said the party is not responsible if someone shares his personal views with someone. “If someone talks to someone, it is his responsibility. Neither the government nor the party gave him any such responsibility,” he added. "I think if you are in a responsible position, you need to speak responsibly,” he continued. Hasan claimed that BNP doesn’t believe in the power of the people, rather curries favour with the European Union, the United States and China regularly to come in power. “In this country, no one can put someone in power,” he said. Also read: Momen's India remarks have no link with AL: Quader In reply to a question if there is any initiative to bring back BNP leader Tarique Rahman to the country, the minister said Tarique has been convicted with life-term imprisonment in the August 21 grenade attack case. “We continue talks with the United Kingdom. But they have some domestic laws where there are complexities (to bring him back),” he added.