Kolkata, Aug 08 (V7N) – Since the fall of the Sheikh Hasina government on August 5 last year, a significant number of Awami League leaders and activists have emigrated, many relocating to neighboring India. Recently, BBC Bangla reported that an Awami League party office has quietly been established in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal, where party activities are ongoing.

The party office is located within a commercial complex in a busy area of Kolkata. According to BBC’s description, the office is discreetly tucked away inside the building, accessible by elevator and corridor, flanked by other commercial offices. The space, covering roughly 2,500 to 2,600 square feet, shows no visible signs of affiliation with the Awami League—there are no signboards or portraits of Sheikh Hasina or Sheikh Mujibur Rahman inside or outside.

An Awami League leader explained, “We deliberately avoided displaying any pictures or signboards of Bangabandhu or our leader. We wanted to keep this room low-profile. Even the usual files and documents typically found in a party office are not kept here. This room mainly serves as a meeting venue. Though we call it a party office, it essentially functions as a commercial office space. We use the furniture left by previous occupants.”

According to the source, meetings involving around 30-35 people are held here, although space is limited. Smaller meetings continue to take place at the homes of various leaders. For larger gatherings, where a couple hundred members might attend, the party rents banquet halls or restaurant spaces.

Who Uses the Office?

Since August last year, many top Awami League leaders, including former ministers, professionals, government employees, police officers, and retired military officers, have relocated to Kolkata or its outskirts, living in rented accommodations. Reports from six months ago indicated that around 70 current members of parliament, district presidents and secretaries, upazila parishad chairmen, mayors, and about 200 senior leaders were residing in the area.

Some leaders live with their families, while others share flats with colleagues. Families occasionally visit from Bangladesh to stay for short periods.

An Awami League insider shared that the number of people in Kolkata has remained fairly steady. Currently, about 80 members of the 12th parliament and 10-12 former MPs live in the city, with some leaders using Kolkata as a transit point before relocating to countries like the United States, Canada, or Australia.

The office operates without fixed hours; leaders visit as needed, reflecting the flexible nature of its use. The BBC report did not disclose the exact location or neighborhood of the office in Kolkata.

END/RH/AJ