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[🇧🇩] Banning of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubo League

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Short Summary: Monitoring the fate of Awami League, Chhatra League and Jubi League

Saif

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Date Occurred: Oct 24, 2024
Chhatra League banned
Citing section of anti-terror act, govt issues gazette that takes effect immediately

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The interim government last night banned Bangladesh Chhatra League amid demands from the student movement against discrimination.

The home ministry issued a gazette notification with immediate effect, stating that the government invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009 to ban BCL, a 76-year-old pro-Awami League student organisation.

The move comes a day after the students issued an ultimatum to the government, saying that they will take to the streets unless the BCL was banned within this week.

Several hundred students demonstrating in front of the Dhaka University vice chancellor's office cheered as the news of the ban came.

The AL, BCL and a leftist party leader condemned the move.

Abdul Kader, a coordinator of the student movement, announced near the TSC that students would march and distribute sweetmeat on university campuses across the country in celebration at 3:00pm today.

According to the gazette, the government made the decision as per section 18 (1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009 and listed the BCL as a banned entity.

The section reads: "For the purposes of this act, the government, on reasonable grounds that a person or an entity is involved in terrorist activities, may, by order, enlist the person in the schedule or proscribe the entity and enlist it in the schedule."

There is evidence that the BCL has been involved in different conspiratorial, subversive and terrorist activities against the state since the fall of the AL government on August 5, reads the notification.

It adds that the BCL, a "brotherly" organisation of AL, was involved in activities that go against public security; the crimes include murder, torture, and oppression of students at dorm rooms informally known as "gono rooms". A large number of students stay in cramped conditions in such rooms.

The BCL took money for dormitory rooms, manipulated tender, raped and sexually harassed women, and committed other crimes after the country's independence, particularly in the last 15 years of the AL's autocratic regime, it adds.

Information and evidence of these crimes were widely covered by the media. Involvement of some BCL leaders and activists in criminal activities were proved at courts too, it says.

During the student movement in July this year, BCL leaders indiscriminately attacked protesting students and the general public, killing hundreds and endangering the lives of many others, the notification adds.

"Bangladesh and Dhaka University are now free from stigma. We would like to thank the interim government," said Nusrat Tabassum, a coordinator of the student movement, at Raju Sculpture of the university.

Last night, Mujahidul Islam Selim, former president of Communist Party of Bangladesh, said the BCL men who committed crimes should have been identified and brought to justice instead of the ban on the organisation.

"Will banning Chhatra League bring any good? No. These people will start getting public sympathy even though they were hated by people for their terrorist activities," he told The Daily Star.

Ensuring the rights of all the students would have been more effective, he said.

History says an organisation cannot be abolished in this way because a legal ban is an expression of weakness, he said.

Founded in January 1948, Chhatra League played significant roles in the country's Liberation War, the Language Movement in 1952, Six-Point Movement in 1966, mass uprising in 1969, the AL's election victory in 1970, and the ouster of HM Ershad in 1990.

Bahauddin Nasim, joint general secretary of the AL, condemned the interim government, saying that the ban on BCL is an attack on the spirit of Liberation war and the constitution.

"This government is illegal. It has no constitutional foundation. How can it ban an organisation like Chhatra League that played a vital role in the Liberation War and all other democratic movements before and after the country's independence? Chhatra League is an organisation of this land and will continue to be so in the days to come," he said.

Notwithstanding its glorious past, the BCL started to draw widespread condemnation for its activists and leaders' activities after the AL came to power in January 2009.

In April that year, Sheikh Hasina, who was the organisational leader of the BCL, resigned from the post, expressing disappointment about BCL's unruly activities.

BCL leaders engaged in violence, mostly to make money through tender manipulation, extortion, and dominance over university campuses.

In 2012, BCL activists hacked a 24-year-old tailor named Biswajit Das to death. Other chilling crimes include the murders of Buet student Abrar Fahad in 2019, Jahangirnagar University student Zubair Ahmed in 2012, and Dhaka University student Abu Bakar Siddique in 2010.

BCL wrongdoings drew so much criticism that Sheikh Hasina removed its president and general secretary -- Rezwanul Haque Chowdhury Shovon and Golam Rabbani -- from their posts in 2019.

The organisation played repressive roles during the widespread protests for safer roads and reforms to quotas in government jobs in 2018.

Late last night, BCL President Saddam Hussain, and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan issued a statement via WhatsApp, rejecting the ban and terming it illegal and unconstitutional.

The blood of BCL leaders and activists is in every inch of this country, it said, adding that the government should immediately step down.​
 

AL has no right to engage in politics
Says Adviser Nahid

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Nahid Islam. File photo

Nahid Islam, adviser to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, today at a discussion said the Awami League has no right to engage in politics.

"There should be no doubt about whether the Awami League's political activities should be banned. In a democratic state, no fascist party has the right to engage in politics," said Nahid.

He said this while speaking at an event "The Government of the Mass Uprising: Expectations and Achievements", at Jahangirnagar University.

Nahid said, "The Awami government carried out a massacre to politically suppress our rightful quota movement. Over the past 16 years, neither our constitution nor human rights have been respected. Instead, a tyrannical and fascist regime was established. Generally, a caretaker government exits after holding an election, but our interim government was formed through a revolution. Our responsibility is not just to oversee an election, but to implement essential reforms that reflect the people's demands and movements. We didn't fight just to replace Sheikh Hasina with Dr Yunus. Our goal was a complete overhaul of the system."

Regarding Hasina's resignation, he said, "Sheikh Hasina has been ousted. Whether she submits a resignation letter or not is irrelevant."

At the event, speakers also discussed various aspects of the constitution and state reforms and answered questions from the audience of teachers and students.

Mushfiq Us Salehin, former president of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance; Dr Zahid-ur-Rahman, writer and political analyst; Akhtar Hossen, member secretary of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and Arif Sohel, member secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, also spoke.​
 

Banning of Chhatra League: Anti-Discrimination Student Movement to hold rally today

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Photo: Prabir Das

The leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Students Movement will hold a rally across university campuses today, celebrating the interim government's decision to ban the activities of the Bangladesh Chhatra League.

Abdul Kader, a key coordinator of the student platform, announced the programme last night at the base of the Raju Memorial Sculpture.

Earlier in the day, several hundred students staged a sit-in in front of the DU vice chancellor's residence, demanding the BCL's ban from campus. In response to the growing protests, the interim government officially banned the Awami League's student wing, Chhatra League, under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009 yesterday.

Following the ban, the protestors took out a procession to welcome the government's decision.​
 

Students in Chattogram declare ban on Awami League, affiliated bodies
FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Oct 19, 2024 20:24
Updated :
Oct 19, 2024 20:38

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Students in the port city of Chattogram have declared a ban on the Awami League and its affiliated organisations, including the Chhatra League, labelling them as terrorist groups.

Rasel Ahmed, a central coordinator of the Movement, made the announcement during a demonstration in front of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police's office on Saturday afternoon.

"Those who have committed mass killings, murders, and enforced disappearances against students and people of this country have no right to engage in politics,” said Mr Ahmed.

“Therefore, we, the students, from Chattogram, hereby announce a ban on the Awami League, Chhatra League, Jubo League, and all other affiliated organisations," he added.

Earlier on Friday midnight, the Chhatra League took out a procession in the port city’s Jamal Khan area on Friday midnight, in support of the fallen dictatorship.​
 

নিষিদ্ধ ছাত্রলীগের রাজনীতি করার অধিকার নেই: আইজিপি
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ছবি: ইউএনবি

ছাত্রলীগ এখন নিষিদ্ধ সংগঠন, তাই তাদের রাজনৈতিক কর্মকাণ্ডে জড়িত হওয়ার কোনো অধিকার নেই বলে মন্তব্য করেছেন পুলিশের মহাপরিদর্শক (আইজিপি) ড. মো. ময়নুল ইসলাম।

তিনি বলেন, 'ছাত্রলীগের সমাবেশ করার অধিকার নেই। তারা সেই চেষ্টা করলে অন্যান্য নিষিদ্ধ সংগঠনের মতো তাদের বিরুদ্ধেও কঠোর আইনানুগ ব্যবস্থা নেওয়া হবে।'

রংপুর জেলা পুলিশ লাইন্স স্কুল অ্যান্ড কলেজ মিলনায়তনে শনিবার বিকেলে রংপুর মেট্রোপলিটন পুলিশের ষষ্ঠ প্রতিষ্ঠাবার্ষিকী উপলক্ষে আয়োজিত সমাবেশে তিনি এই কথা বলেন।

আইজিপি বলেন, শিক্ষার্থীদের বৈষম্যবিরোধী আন্দোলনের সময় যে কোনো ধরনের অস্থিতিশীলতার সঙ্গে জড়িত সবাইকে আইনের আওতায় আনা হবে। পুলিশের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযোগ ওঠার পর তাকে বদলি করা হয়েছে। তার মানে এই নয় যে, তাকে শাস্তি থেকে অব্যাহতি দেওয়া হয়েছে। বদলি বা ক্লোজডের বিষয়টি একটি প্রাথমিক প্রক্রিয়া।

কিছু পুলিশ সদস্য জড়িত উল্লেখ করে তিনি বলেন, মামলাগুলোর তদন্ত চলমান। তদন্তে দোষী সাব্যস্ত হলে তাকে আইনের আওতায় আনা হবে। এ ক্ষেত্রে কাউকে ছাড় দেওয়া হবে না।

নেতৃত্ব পর্যায়ে গুটিকয়েক বিপথগামী অফিসারের কারণে পুলিশ তার দায়িত্ব সঠিকভাবে পালন করতে পারেনি বলেও এ সময় মন্তব্য করেন ময়নুল ইসলাম।

আইজিপি বলেন, দীর্ঘ ১৬ বছর ফ্যাসিস্টরা বৈধ অস্ত্রের অবৈধ ব্যবহার করেছে। ওই অস্ত্র তারা ছাত্র-জনতার বিরুদ্ধে ব্যবহার করেছে। আমরা চেষ্টা করছি এসব অস্ত্র সরকারের কাছে জমা করতে।

বক্তব্য শেষে বৈষম্যবিরোধী ছাত্র আন্দোলনে নিহত ও আহত ব্যক্তিদের পরিবারের সদস্যদের আর্থিক সহায়তা প্রদান করেন আইজিপি।

সমাবেশে সভাপতিত্ব করেন রংপুর মেট্রোপলিটন পুলিশ কমিশনার মজিদ আলী।

এর আগে আইজিপি ময়নুল ইসলাম বৈষম্যবিরোধী ছাত্র-আন্দোলনের প্রথম শহীদ বেগম রোকেয়া বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের শিক্ষার্থী আবু সাঈদের বাড়িতে যান। সেখানে আবু সাঈদের কবর জিয়ারত শেষে তার মা-বাবা ও স্বজনদের সঙ্গে কথা বলেন।​
 

Ban on political activities of AL, allies sought
Staff Correspondent 28 October, 2024, 13:47

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Three key coordinators of the Students Movement Against Discrimination on Sunday filed two writ petitions seeking ban on political activities of the Awami League and its 10 allies.

The petitions filed by Sarjis Alam, Hasibul Islam and Md Abul Hasnat, also known as Hasnat Abdullah, also sought the cancellation of the results of the past three national elections and the recovery of the benefits enjoyed by the beneficiaries of the elections.

The key student leaders made the prayers citing the political parties’ alleged involvement in widespread violence, election manipulation, and severe constitutional violations.

The petitions were filed 12 weeks after the fall of the AL regime amid the student-led mass uprising on August 5.

The allies of AL, according to the petitioners, are Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Tarikat Federation, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Ganatantri Dal, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Marxist–Leninist (Barua), and Socialist Party of Bangladesh.

The petitions were accepted for hearing by a bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi, according to Deputy Attorney General Akhtar Hossain Md Abdul Wahab.

Previously, two other High Court benches declined to take up the petitions which were moved by senior lawyer Ahsanul Karim.

One of the petitions sought a ruling directing the interim government to explain why it should not be ordered to prohibit all political activities of the AL and its allies.

The petition alleged that these parties engaged in widespread violence, undermined democratic institutions, and unlawfully seized the state power.

Additionally, it requested an interim order prohibiting the AL and its allies from engaging in any political activities within the territory of Bangladesh until further notice.

In a related filing, the petitioners also sought a ruling questioning the validity of the results of the 10th, 11th, and 12th parliamentary elections held on January 5, 2014, December 30, 2018, and January 7, 2024, respectively.

The petitioners further prayed to the court to issue a rule to explain why sedition charges should not be brought against the Members of Parliament elected with AL or its allied parties’ nominations for contesting these elections.

Named respondents in the petitions include the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Election Commission, and the National Board of Revenue, as well as the AL and its 10 allies.

The petitions claimed that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her party orchestrated a violent crackdown, which the petitioners termed ‘July Massacre’, resulting in over 1,000 deaths, 400 students blinded, and more than 20,000 critically injured. Among the fatalities, 32 were reportedly children, with over 11,000 individuals detained nationwide.

They further asserted that those responsible for violence and bloodshed against citizens who peacefully voiced their concerns should not be entrusted with public office.

The petitioners, claiming that the AL and its allies have effectively undermined the rule of law which is an essential principle in Article 11 of the constitution, contended that the parties in question acted in self-interest under the guise of constitutional mandates, disregarding fundamental democratic values.

The petitions further alleged that none of the 11 political parties practiced democratic processes within their parties and that they were controlled by a single leader, undermining the democratic will of their members and the public.

The petitions claimed that these parties amassed substantial financial resources unethically and used these funds to manipulate recent elections.

This poses a severe threat to the integrity of future elections unless their funding sources are disclosed, the petitioners argued.

The petitions argued that the last three national elections in the past 15 years were marred by intimidation and manipulation.

They asserted that AL-backed forces prevented the opponents’ polling agents from entering polling centers, effectively controlling the election outcomes before votes were cast.

According to the petitions, this ‘collapse of the electoral process’ rendered citizens passive spectators and undermined the concept of free and fair elections.

In light of these alleged violations, the petitions call on the High Court to issue a ban on all political activities of the 11 political parties.​
 

People will decide whether AL should have political rights: Asif Nazrul

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It is for the people to decide whether Awami League should have political rights or not, said Law Adviser Prof Asif Nazrul today.

He said this while talking to journalists after meeting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk at the Secretariat in Dhaka.

Asked if AL would be able to contest the next elections, Nazrul said the political party has killed and maimed thousands of people during its rule.

Its leader Sheikh Hasina, while staying abroad, has termed the protesters as terrorists, he added.

He said, "Just imagine, even after carrying out this mass killing, she is issuing threats.

"She calls our leaders 'teen gangs'. She is accused of mass killing. It is for the people to decide whether this party should have political rights or not," he added.​
 

‘No place’ for Hasina’s ‘fascist’ party in Bangladesh's politics, Yunus tells FT
He says will not seek exiled leader’s extradition from India before domestic tribunal’s verdict

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File photo of Muhammad Yunus/Collected

Dr Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of Bangladesh's interim leader, has accused the political party of ousted authoritarian leader Sheikh Hasina of exhibiting "all the characteristics of fascism".

It has "no place" for now in the country's politics, Yunus said in an interview with the Financial Times published today.

"In the short run, definitely she has no place — the Awami League doesn't have a place — in Bangladesh," the newspaper quoted 84-year-old Nobel peace laureate as saying.

"They controlled the people, they controlled the [political] machinery, they controlled the institutions to enhance their interest," he said in the interview.

"No fascist party should be in existence in a democratic system," Yunus said.

Yunus told the UK-based Financial Times that the interim government would not immediately seek the extradition of Sheikh Hasina from India.

FT reported that Yunus said his government would seek Sheikh Hasina's return after a verdict had been reached by the International Crimes Tribunal, which issued an arrest warrant against her and 45 others earlier in October.

"She is charged with crimes against humanity . . . when the verdict comes out, we'll try to get her back through the extradition treaty" with India, he said. "I don't think we have a case to do that before a verdict is done."

Political rivals and human rights groups have accused the Awami League of rigging recent elections, carrying out extrajudicial killings, and capturing state institutions during Sheikh Hasina's more than 15-year rule, the report said.

Since her flight, Bangladeshis have been debating whether the party should be temporarily suspended from politics, required to reform, or banned entirely, FT report stated.

Yunus speculated during the interview that the Awami League might disintegrate, but stressed that its fate would not be decided by his interim administration as it was "not a political government".

Any decision on whether Awami League could participate in a future election would be decided by a "consensus" of political parties themselves, he said. "They have to decide their political space."​
 

Chhatra League was the main foot soldier of fascism: CA’s press secretary
bdnews24.com
Published :
Nov 09, 2024 15:59
Updated :
Nov 09, 2024 16:15

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The chief advisor's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has described Bangladesh Chhatra League, the banned student wing of Awami League, as the ‘main foot soldier’ of fascism.

“Many people ask why the Chhatra League was banned. Look at the noble movement these campus students initiated. How many such great movements have taken place in Bangladesh? If you look back, the movement of 1990 was also noble,” he said during a seminar titled "We Want a Safe Bangladesh," held at the National Press Club on Saturday.

He said, "But this movement, with its reach, impact, and the way it resonated with people, showed Bangladesh’s place in the world. Chhatra League opposed this movement and was the ‘main foot soldier of fascism’."

Criticising the Chhatra League's actions over the past 15 years, he continued: “What they did was create a narrative of fascism. Many joined the Chhatra League because they thought it would guarantee a job. You created discrimination in the entire employment system. The boy from my village who joined the Chhatra League got a job, but the other student, who is more educated, didn’t get any job.

"They (Chhatra League) got jobs in the police and intelligence agencies. They held the entire nation hostage. Joining Chhatra League was your ticket to heaven, while everyone else had a miserable life. When police came for verification, the sons of the Awami League and Chhatra League said, ‘this boy is a BNP supporter, don’t give him a job.’"

He also pointed out the role Chhatra League played in the police's aggressive actions against student movements, saying: “When the police acted so ruthlessly, firing indiscriminately at our young brothers, you can trace the background of these people to Chhatra League.

"A brutal police system was formed, and its main component was the Chhatra League. To ensure that this never happens again, we need to make our educational institutions safe.”

Referring to the interim government’s efforts to prevent campuses from becoming strongholds for criminals, he added: “We are trying to ensure that campuses do not become havens for terrorists. The government that follows will also need to take this up, and we all need to commit to this.”

He stressed the need for safe campuses for global competition, saying: “Our government, or we, want Bangladesh’s educational institutions to be safe. We need to make our campuses safe for global competition so our children can focus more on their academic studies.”

Shafiqul said, "We want our children to be able to compete with students from any part of the world. They should proudly take Bangladesh forward. To achieve this, we must create an ideal, peaceful campus environment."

“We want our children to draw inspiration for building Bangladesh from their campuses. Campuses should be places for ideal debates," he added.​
 

Asif warns against any AL rally
BSS
Published: 09 Nov 2024, 19: 49


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Asif MahmudCaptured from television

Adviser to the interim government Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain today said the law enforcers would take stern action if any organisation linked to mass-killing tries to hold any political programme.

He gave this warning in a post from his verified Facebook account today in the backdrop of calling first ever demonstration of Awami League (AL) in the city tomorrow after ouster of AL government on 5 August last following a massive mass upsurge.

The Awami League has called the demonstration at Shaheed Nur Hossain Square in the capital’s Zero Point at 3:00pm tomorrow in memory of Shaheed Nur Hossain Day and demanding democratic rights.​
 

Awami League and resolving the question of its ban
Saimum Parvez
Published: 26 Nov 2024, 14: 07

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Leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated bodies attack the student-people’s movement. Murtafa Bin Omar, vice president of Turag thana Chhatra League, brandishes a firearm. At Azampur in Uttara of the capital city Dhaka. 4 August Prothom Alo

In July and the first half of August this year, Bangladesh saw the most brutal killings, political violence, terror attacks and riots since the independence of the country. It was like a gory video game where people’s lives held no value. The body of a young man was hurled off an armed car, a youth lay inert in the floor of a rickshaw in a vain struggle against death, a child was killed from bullets raining down from a helicopter…

Here is little likelihood that this killing and wounding of thousands could have taken place without strong and direct orders from the head of the ruling party at the time, Sheikh Hasina, and other top persons of the government. That is why it is imperative that Sheikh Hasina, her government and the political party Awami League, be placed on trial. Any discrepancies in this process or indiscriminate filing of cases would simply serve to trivialise the matter.

There prevails a debate on the future of post-Hasina Bangladesh. It was on 23 June 1949 that East Pakistan Awami Muslim League was born. At the behest of Maulana Bhashani, in 1955 the word ‘Muslim’ was dropped in the interests of a non-communal political ideology. After playing a vital role in struggle for independence, the manner in which Awami League has stood against the aspirations and the interests of the people over the past one and a half decades is not just unfortunate but calls for justice.

However, the question is, how to deal with a party as large as Awami League, which has a large support base too? How to bring about their reforms, how to effectively place them on trial and ensure justice is carried out?

If we leave out the controversial elections from 2014 to 2024 and analyse the fair and credible elections, we will see that in 1991 Awami League secured 30.8 per cent of the votes. In 1996 (June) it secured 37.44 per cent of the votes and in 2001 it won 40.13 per cent. In 2008, if we analyse the party’s votes, not as an alliance, it clinched 48.4 per cent.

It is difficult to discern how far Awami League’s public support has waned due to the fact that fair elections haven’t been held over the past 15 years, the July killings and Sheikh Hasina fleeing in the face of the mass uprising. But the behaviour and words of Awami League’s leaders and activists indicate no sign of remorse. So the predicament of millions is involved in the event that Awami League is banned. So any decision in this regard must not be taken with rashness, but with much discussion and deliberation.

In the prevailing circumstances we can think of a number of possible alternative scenarios. The first scenario would be about banning Awami League. This decision can be implemented in a short time. This can be brought about in one of any three processes – a court order, a referendum or an executive order. If an appeal is placed in court for this ban, then it must be proven whether Awami League was involved in the massacre or not, whether there was any decision at a party meeting in this regard and whether the party chief was involved. The line between the government and the party must also been taken into account.

The third scenario would be just to leave things as they are, with no banning of Awami League and with no effective trial or reforms. That is an unacceptable proposal. If Awami League returns, there will be an increase of revengeful violence in the country
If a referendum is held, the people’s decision will be known. However, it must be kept in mind that there is a big difference between an election and a referendum. If the mandate goes against banning Awami League, not only must this been accepted, but this may have a negative impact on the trial for the July killings.

If the people give their verdict in favour of banning Awami League and even if 20/30 per cent of the votes go against this motion, that too is a considerable chunk of the population. That would constitute a few million supports, 90 per cent of whom presumably were not directly involved in the crimes against humanity. This banning may criminalise them, but that may backfire.

The second scenario would be to ensure the trial of those involved in the indiscriminate killings of July and August as well as those involved in crimes against humanity over the past 15 years, but to give Awami League a chance to reform as a party. In that case, a high-powered, professional and international standard truth investigation committee can be formed and a draft list be prepared of Awami League leaders and activists, including Hasina, who were involved in crimes against humanity.

If there is justified basis to the allegations of the accused persons’ involvement in crimes against humanity, through the trial process they can be banned from taking part in politics and the election. But a legal process must be ensured so that this is not on conflict with the principle of justice – ‘innocent until proven guilty’.

Awami League can be given the chance to become active in politics again if they expel the involved persons from the party and if the party’s constitution takes a firm stand against these killings and the killers. The party can place Sheikh Hasina and her close collaborators on trial and ban them from politics and the party. The leaders and activists with comparatively less criminal involvement can seek pardon and resume party activities after going through a compulsory correctional process.

The third scenario would be just to leave things as they are, with no banning of Awami League and with no effective trial or reforms. That is an unacceptable proposal. If Awami League returns, there will be an increase of revengeful violence in the country. Also, banning the party as in the first scenario, with no long-term process, there is little likelihood of this being effective, as seen in past history.

In December 1971, five parties including Jamaat-e-Islami were banned. Later, in accordance to the constitution of 1972, all religion-based parties were banned. But Jamiyate Ulema-e-Islam was allowed to resume its programmes. After this ban, no long-term measures, no cultural-social-political initiative was taken. The leaders and the activists of the banned parties joined JSD, NAP and even Awami League. In recent times, on 31 July this year, Awami League cancelled Jamaat-e-Islami's registration. But the party has now clearly returned in an even bigger form.

The process of banning of political parties does not involve just crimes, but it involves political, social and cultural matters too. Awami League's biggest strength lies in its cultural capital. Many big names and influencers in the country's literary and cultural field are Awami League's strength. So there is very little possibility of an effective ban of the party unless there is a long-term cultural and political drive. It will be difficult to reach the aspired goal with a short-term bank on Awami League.

  • Dr Saimum Parvez is a teacher of political communications at Germany's DW Academy and Bonn Rhein-Sieg University
  • This column appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Ayesha Kabir
 

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