Don't use photos of Bangabandhu, Hasina for self promotion

The ruling Awami League has asked party leaders to stop using their own portraits alongside those of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and party President Sheikh Hasina in political billboards, posters, banners, and festoons.

The party said there must be no picture of anyone other than those of Bangabandhu and Hasina in those publicity materials.

AL General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam asked the party leaders to remove all publicity materials containing photos of themselves, across the country.

He said billboards, posters, banners and festoons were seen with big photos of party leaders beside the small portraits of Bangabandhu and Sheikh Hasina. "It looks bad to the general public," he added.

Ashraf issued the directives on Monday to the presidents and general secretaries of the district units and of all front organisations.

He also wrote to the two  Dhaka city mayors, asking them to order  removal of every publicity material, which contains photos of party leaders other than those of Bangabandhu and Hasina.

The ruling party gave the directive as such publicity materials have been widely used for self-promotion ahead of the national days, which encourages extortion by party men, said AL insiders.