Party sources said a great enthusiasm is seen among the party rank and file centring the council. Though councils in all the 13 upazilas have been completed, the enthusiasm is shadowed by intra-party rivalry at places.

Talking to this correspondent yesterday, Sylhet AL President ANM Shafique however laughed away reports of internal feud. "Such groupings are not that much unusual in a big party like Awami League. Things will be alright after the conference", he said.

AL General Secretary Abdul Jalil will open the council on Hafij Complex premises in the city at 11 am. Former water resources minister Abdur Razzaque MP, AL Presidium members Tofail Ahmed and Suranjit Sengupta MP, Dewan Farid Gazi MP, AMA Muhit, Opposition Chief Whip Abdus Shahid, former chief whip Abul Hasnat Abdullah will be special guests at the inaugural session.

A small faction in Jakiganj upazila has already announced boycott of today's conference. They include Jakiganj upazila AL Vice President Shafiqur Rahman. The group led by him also met party chief Sheikh Hasina and General Secretary Abdul Jalil and complained against its president and the secretary.

Party leaders are now engaged in last minute lobbying and keeping close contact with 292 councilors from 13 upazilas for posts in the district committee.

Arrangement has been made for election of the district committee but many senior leaders said the central leaders may opt for retaining the present committee as any change may harm the party ahead of the general election.

Syed Abu Nosor and ANM Shafiqul Haque were elected president and General secretary respectively in the last election held in 1990.

The sources said the need for council and formation of a new district committee was felt strongly after the party's debacle in 2001 general elections when all the six parliamentary seats went to BNP-Jamaat alliance and independent candidates.

Following that, party chief Sheikh Hasina dissolved that committee at a meeting in November 2001 and formed an 88-member convening committee, asking it to hold a council in six months. Later, in August 2002, ANM Shafique and Iftekhar Hossain Shamim took over as president and general secretary.

Party sources said ANM Shafique and Vice-president Jahir Chowdhury Sufian would contest for the post of district AL president. An elderly leader from Biswanath upazila- Monu Mia -- at a recent press conference also announced his candidature for the post.

Incumbent secretary Iftekhar Hossain Shamim and Joint Secretary Abdul Khalique Mayon may be in the race for the post of secretary while six leaders would be vying for the three posts of joint secretary.