[🇧🇩] Political Activities of Awami League after the fall of Hasina's Regime

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ICT bans publication of Hasina’s hate speech

The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday asked the government to ban the broadcasting and publication of any ‘hate speech’ or ‘incitement’ allegedly made by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina...

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ICT bans publication of Hasina’s hate speech
M Moneruzzaman 05 December, 2024, 14:21

The International Crimes Tribunal on Thursday asked the government to ban the broadcasting and publication of any ‘hate speech’ or ‘incitement’ allegedly made by deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid the student-people uprising on August 5.

The order followed Hasina’s implication in a filed on charges of crimes against humanity for over 1,500 murders and scores of injuries in indiscriminate firing, torture and other atrocities during the July-August uprising.

The tribunal of Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and retired district judge Md Mohitul Haq Anam Chowdhury passed the order after hearing a petition filed by chief prosecutor Md Tajul Islam.

The tribunal asked its registrar to immediately notify the secretaries of the ministries of information and broadcasting and information and communication technology as well as the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman to enforce the order.

It also asked the respondents to ensure the removal of all inflammatory content linked to Hasina from print, electronic and social media platforms.

The tribunal also took note of reported leaked telephone conversations between Hasina, also the Awami League president, and her party leaders that went viral on social media and were widely circulated in the press.

In the leaked conversations, Hasina reportedly asked AL leaders to hold rallies displaying images of US president-elect Donald Trump and urged her supporters to retaliate against those who reportedly attacked the homes of AL members.

Prosecutor Tamim Gazi Monwar Hossain argued that these statements met the criteria for hate speech as outlined in the United Nations’ Rabat Plan of Action.

The framework proposes a six-point threshold test, considers elements such as the context, speaker, intent, content, reach, and likelihood, including imminence, to determine whether an expression qualifies as criminal incitement.

Tamim emphasised that Hasina’s statements clearly fell within the parameters of incitement as defined by the Rabat Principles.

Tamim warned that Hasina’s rhetoric could obstruct the ongoing investigation into allegations of crimes against humanity and jeopardise the safety of witnesses and victims connected to the case.

The case accuses Hasina and her affiliates of orchestrating violence during the July-August movement, resulting in widespread deaths, injuries, and destruction.

The prosecution filed the application seeking ban on publication of Hasina’s speech following an amendment to section 23A of the amended International Crimes (Tribunals) Act ICT mandating tribunals to ‘take all necessary measures’ to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of witnesses providing testimony or evidence in proceedings under the act.

Section 23(2)(B) further empowers the tribunals to ‘order any protective measures deemed necessary to safeguard victims,’ either on their own initiative or upon a request from the prosecution or the victims.

On November 12, the tribunal directed the inspector general of police to request the Interpol to issue red notices for the arrest of Hasina and several of her associates.

Hasina, along with 46 cabinet members, party leaders and associates, faces arrest orders issued by the tribunal on October 17.

Chief prosecutor Md Tajul Islam informed the tribunal that steps were under way to secure Interpol assistance and a red notice would be sent to Hasina.​

 

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Statements of a former PM from India ‘creating tension’

Environment Adviser to the interim government Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said Bangladesh has expressed its “unease” to India about statements made by a former Bangladesh prime minister from that country

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Statements of a former PM from India ‘creating tension’
Says environment adviser after Indian delegation meets chief adviser

Photo: Collected

Environment Adviser to the interim government Syeda Rizwana Hasan today said Bangladesh has expressed its "unease" to India about statements made by a former Bangladesh prime minister from that country aiming at "creating tension".

"We made our position on this issue very clear," she said while briefing journalists on the outcome of a meeting between Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Indian External Affairs Secretary Vikram Misri in Dhaka.

India, on their part, reiterated their interest in strengthening and advancing relations with Bangladesh, she added.

The Indian delegation also clarified that their government is not responsible for the activities of certain media outlets or organisations spreading misleading narratives about Bangladesh, she further said.

Rizwana said India assured Bangladesh of their commitment to increasing the issuance of visas to Bangladeshis.

Regarding the recent attack on the Bangladesh mission in Agartala, she said India expressed regret over the incident after Dhaka protested.

"Since they have now expressed a commitment to advancing bilateral relations with the interim government, we are assuming that their earlier regret remains consistent."

On the issue of Sheikh Hasina, Rizwana said there were no new discussions about her extradition from India.

On propaganda against Bangladesh, she said the Indian government reiterated that such activities are not supported or endorsed by their administration.

Rizwana said in the meeting with the chief adviser, both sides emphasised their eagerness to strengthen bilateral relations.

India closely monitored the events of July and August in Bangladesh and expressed their awareness of the situation, she said.

From Bangladesh's side, the government reiterated its desire to see SAARC play a stronger role and emphasised the importance of regional cooperation within BIMSTEC, she added.

Additionally, Bangladesh raised concerns about the ongoing misinformation campaigns aimed at damaging Bangladesh's reputation as a nation of harmony, she further said.​

 

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India denies giving any facility to Hasina for political activities

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a parliamentary committee that Sheikh Hasina was using ‘private communication devices’ to make her comments and India was not...

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India denies giving any facility to Hasina for political activities
Staff Correspondent 12 December, 2024, 15:38

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri. | UNB photo

Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri told a parliamentary committee that Sheikh Hasina was using ‘private communication devices’ to make her comments and India was not involved in providing her with any platform or facility that enabled her to carry out her political activity from Indian soil.

He made the comments in his briefing to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs on his recent visit to Bangladesh, which was the first-high profile visit from New Delhi to Dhaka since Hasina’s downfall, Indian media reported on Wednesday.

He also told the panel that an early national election in Bangladesh was also expected, the Hindu reported.

It reported that Vikram described Hasina’s criticism of the interim government of Bangladesh as a pinprick and that India did not endorse deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Vikram Misri told the parliamentary committee that Hasina was present in India in line with its culture and civilisational ethos of protecting friends, reported Indian Express.

Vikram made the comment when the parliamentary body sought to know the status of Hasina in India, where the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh went on August 5 fleeing a student-people uprising against her misrule of 15 years.

Most of the Indian media reports on Vikram’s briefing tsaid that his reply to the question of Hasina’s status was either not known or that he avoided replying.

Diplomatic tension between the two neighbouring countries recently ran high. India is accused by protesters in Bangladesh of acting like a big brother, taking advantage of Bangladesh by its sheer size.

The Hindu reported Vikram saying that India did not view the relation with Bangladesh as one based on ‘reciprocity’ but as one that was grounded on ‘good neighbourly relationship.’

Vikram also informed the committee that the issue of review of bilateral treaties did not feature in his conversation with chief adviser Yunus, the Hindu said.

Vikram said that India was concerned about the lack of acknowledgement of the alleged incidents of violence against minority communities but welcomed the latest report that authorities in Bangladesh had arrested 88 people related to the violence against minorities after the fall of the Hasina government, the Hindu reported.

For India, he said, the Bangladesh authorities’ decision to release many of the convicted ‘terrorists’ who indulged in anti-India rhetoric, remained an issue of deep concern. The Bangladesh authorities, meanwhile, flagged the ‘disinformation’ campaign in the Indian press about the events unfolding in that country.

Some parliamentary committee members raised the arrest of ISKCON monks in Bangladesh, the Hindu reported, but Vikram made no reply.

Vikram, however, told the committee that during his visit to Dhaka, he informed the authorities there that there had to be an ‘acknowledgment’ of the incidents of attacks on temples and the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre.

He said that while there was an attempt by the interim government of Bangladesh to describe the reports as exaggeration or media creation, there were ‘credible’ organisations that documented some of the incidents that required to be addressed.​

 

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Awami League's participation in election depends on time: CEC

No EVMs will be used in the national election. We are committed to conducting the polls as per the timeline set by the chief adviser, he said.

en.prothomalo.com

Awami League's participation in election depends on time: CEC
UNB
Sylhet
Published: 11 Jan 2025, 15: 05

Chief election commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin has said that time will determine whether the Awami League retains its registration and participates in the upcoming national election.

"Whether the Awami League maintains its registration and takes part in the election depends on time. The Election Commission is actively addressing this issue," the CEC said during a press briefing at the Sylhet Circuit House on Saturday.

He attended a views-exchange meeting with focus on voter list updates and preparations for the forthcoming national election.

When asked about the prospects of holding all local government elections simultaneously, the CEC refrained from making a specific comment. "It is not feasible to organise all elections on the same day," he noted.

Highlighting the election process, the CEC ruled out the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the upcoming polls. "No EVMs will be used in the national election. We are committed to conducting the polls as per the timeline set by the chief adviser, adhering strictly to prescribed guidelines," he said.

The CEC also announced that expatriates will, for the first time, be able to cast their votes in the national election.

The meeting in Sylhet was attended by election officials and stakeholders, who discussed strategies to ensure a transparent and timely electoral process.​

 

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‘AL won’t be allowed to hold protests’

Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said the Awami League will not be allowed to demonstrate until it apologises and its leadership faces trial for the killings during the July uprising.

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AL won’t be allowed to hold protests’
CA’s press secy says it must apologise first, its leadership tried

Photo: Screengrab

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam has said the Awami League will not be allowed to demonstrate until it apologises and its leadership faces trial for the killings during the July uprising.

He made the comments yesterday, a day after the AL announced on Facebook that it would begin from February 1 a nine-day programme that includes hartals and blockades in protest at what it said were rising prices of essentials, deteriorating law and order, and killings of leaders and activists.

"Does any leader or worker of the Awami League regret committing genocide? Had they begged pardon? You saw 71 children get killed and shots fired at them from helicopters. Has anyone repented or apologised for this?" Shafiqul Alam told a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy.

"Have Awami League men said, 'We do not support the killings carried out by Hasina'? We want leadership with a clean image. I don't see it. Rather, many are lying and spreading rumors and propaganda," he said.

Shafiqul also wrote on Facebook, "Unless AL apologises for these massacres, killings and blatant corruption and until its tainted leaders and activists submit to justice system and they are purged and tried over their crimes -- and until AL separates itself from its current leadership and its Fascist ideology, there is no way it will be allowed to hold protests."

The interim government will not allow any attempt to push the country towards violence, he wrote.

"Since it took over in early August, the Interim Government has not stopped or banned any lawful protests. We believe in freedom of assembly and freedom of association. One report this morning said at least 136 protests took place alone in Dhaka in the past five and a half months. Some of these protests triggered massive traffic congestion. Yet, the IG [inspector general of police] has never imposed any restrictions on the protests.

"But should we allow the Fascist Awami League party to hold protests? The video footage of July and August clearly show that AL party activists took part in the killings of peaceful protesters who included young students and minor children. The party leadership headed by Sheikh Hasina is responsible for the massacres, murders and mayhem during the July mass uprising."

He further said, Hasina established a kleptocracy and murderous regime. Under her watch, 234 billion dollars were siphoned off by her cronies, according to an independent panel. Her family is now being investigated for making billions of dollars from corrupt deals, he wrote.

He added that no country allowed a bunch of killers and corrupt gangs to make a comeback. "No country allows a reset without accountability. The interim government represents the will of the Bangladeshi people who will react to the protest by the killers. We will not allow any attempts to push the country into violence. Anyone [who] dares to hold illegal protests under the AL banner will face the full power of the law."​

 

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AL announces month long programme in Feb for Yunus’ resignation

The Awami League has announced a month-long demonstration, including leaflet distribution, protest rallies and processions, blockades, and general strike throughout February demanding the resignation of interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus...

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AL announces month long programme in Feb for Yunus’ resignation
Staff Correspondent 29 January, 2025, 16:48

File photo

The Awami League has announced a month-long demonstration, including leaflet distribution, protest rallies and processions, blockades, and general strike throughout February demanding the resignation of interim government chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

The party will distribute leaflets from February 1 to February 5, protest rallies and processions on February 6 and February 10, road blockade on February 16, and countrywide dawn to dusk general strike on February 18, the AL shared the information in a post on its verified Facebook page Tuesday night.

The AL which was ousted from power amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024 announced the month-long protest programme at a time when most of the party’s senior leaders are either in jail or in hiding.

Terming the interim government as ‘illegal and unconstitutional’, the AL in the Facebook post claimed that they would protest against the attack on religious and national minorities, skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, arrest of several thousand AL leaders and activists, and murders and enforced disappearances, and demanding the release of all political prisoners.

The Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the AL, in line with the AL programme, also announced a month-long demonstration in February demanding the ‘resignation of Yunus for restoring democracy’.

The programme of the banned student organisation was announced in a press release signed by BCL president Saddam Hossain and general secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan on Wednesday.

The programmes include leaflet distribution from February 1 to February 5, protest rallies and processions on February 6, protest rally on February 10, roadway, railway, waterway, airway and port blockade on February 16, and dawn to dusk strike on February 18.

The chief adviser’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, said on Wednesday that the AL won’t be allowed to hold any programme until ensuring justice for July-August killings.

‘They [AL] will have to offer an apology to the nation for the killings,’ said Shafiqul, addressing a press conference in the Foreign Service Academy in the city on Wednesday.

He said that the interim government represented the people of Bangladesh.

‘We will not allow any attempts to push the country into violence. If killers hold any protest or rally, the country’s people will reply then in a hard way,’ he added.

He said that the AL would have to face trial for mass killings and offer apology for mass killings if the party wanted to continue politics in Bangladesh.

Asked why AL leaders at the grassroots would not be allowed to do politics as the party high-ups were responsible for the killings, he wanted to know whether any of the leaders uttered a sentence saying that they did not accept killings as per Sheikh Hasina’s direction.

‘Not a single person told this. Rather, many of them tell lies and spread rumor,’ Shafiqul added.

Professor Yunus-led interim government took power on August 8, 2024, three days after the ouster of the AL regime and the overthrown prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s fleeing to India on August 5, 2024.

According to the latest government data, 834 people were killed in the July-August uprising.

AL came to power in 2009 through a general election.

In the 2014 general election, the AL won and formed government again but the election was criticised as a farcical election as 153 AL candidates won uncontested and major political parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party did not join the polls.

In 2018, the AL won the general elections again amid allegations of overnight rigging and ballot stuffing ahead of the polls.

In 2024, the AL won once another in a rigged general election, also marred by low turnout and boycott by major opposition political parties, including the BNP.​

 

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Hasnat warns media against airing Hasina’s speech

Vows to free Bangladesh from the 'pilgrimage site of fascism'

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Hasnat warns media against airing Hasina’s speech
Vows to free Bangladesh from the 'pilgrimage site of fascism'

Hasnat Abdullah. File photo

Hasnat Abdullah, convener of Students Against Discrimination, warned media outlets against broadcasting Sheikh Hasina's speech today, saying it would be seen as facilitating her agenda.

"Even now, we see hesitation in naming the real perpetrators. Some media still refer to her as a 'former prime minister' -- is she just a former leader, or is she the 'Butcher of this Motherland'?" Hasnat said addressing the media.

He said this at a press conference today held at the office of the Students Against Discrimination in the capital's Banglamotor.

Jatiya Nagorik Committee and the Students Against Discrimination arranged the press conference regarding the launch of a public opinion campaign titled "New Bangladesh Through Your Eyes".

Terming Sheikh Hasina as the "butcher" of Bangladesh, Hasnat said, "She killed 2,000 people to hold onto power. Yet, the media does not call her a fascist murderer. If you fail to do so, you are still keeping alive the pro-Awami media structure."

He further warned that there would be no rehabilitation of Hasina or fascism in Bangladesh.

"If any media outlet broadcasts Hasina's speech, it will be assumed that they are still facilitating her and have taken a stance against the aspirations of the people," added Hasnat.

He added that the mass uprising occurred because the people rejected the old order of so-called civility.

"After August 5, Sheikh Hasina and the Chhatra League men are no longer relevant in the country. If they were, they wouldn't have had to flee that day," said Hasnat.

Later, Hasnat Abdullah posted a cryptic message on his Facebook page, "Tonight, Bangladesh will get rid of the pilgrimage site of fascism."

Meanwhile, Students Against Discrimination, on its verified Facebook page, said, "If any statement of murderer, mass killer and fascist Hasina is broadcast, that media will have to take the consequences."​

 

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Awami League protests: A comeback or a cry for relevance?

Awami League’s protests reflect a party grappling with its own political survival rather than a genuine struggle for democracy.

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Awami League protests: A comeback or a cry for relevance?

VISUAL: SALMAN SAKIB SHAHRYAR

The Awami League, once the most dominant political force in Bangladesh, now finds itself in an unfamiliar and precarious situation. Its leadership has fractured following its disgraced fall from power on August 5, 2024 in the face of the student-led mass uprising. The party is now attempting to find its footing again through a month-long protest programme. This raises a critical question: is the Awami League truly interested in working its way to democracy, or is it merely struggling to survive?

Awami League's current predicament is largely of its own making. The party, which once led the country's liberation struggle and positioned itself as a beacon of democracy, gradually turned into an authoritarian entity. Over the past decade, allegations of election manipulation, political repression and corruption eroded its credibility. The parliamentary elections in 2014, 2018 and 2024 were all marred by accusations of vote-rigging. Only a few months after the 2024 election, a mass uprising—which grew from a protest by students against the reinstatement of the quota system in government service—forced Sheikh Hasina's government out of power. This ouster was not just a shift in governance, it was a clear rejection by the people of the party's undemocratic practices and governance failures.

However, the party appears to have learnt little from its downfall. Its leaflet recently distributed to justify its protest movement offers little evidence of introspection or reform. The rhetoric remains unchanged, reflecting an outdated political mindset that fails to address the new realities in Bangladesh. There is a conspicuous absence of acknowledgement of the public grievances that led to its downfall, including the deaths of protesters during the July-August uprising. Instead of expressing condolences or seeking justice for those who lost their lives, the party remains focused on reclaiming power without addressing its past transgressions.

The hypocrisy in Awami League's protests is evident. The very tactics it now condemns—mass arrests, suppression of dissent, and human rights abuses—were once cornerstones of its own governance strategy. When it was in power, Awami League showed little tolerance for opposition protests, often employing law enforcement agencies to suppress them. Now, finding itself on the receiving end of a similar treatment, it suddenly seeks to champion democratic rights. This selective outrage raises suspicions about the party's true intentions.

Meanwhile, the interim government led by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has taken a firm stance, refusing to allow Awami League to hold demonstrations unless it takes responsibility for the human rights violations committed under its rule. The government insists that the party must first seek public forgiveness before re-entering mainstream politics. While some may claim this approach as being harsh, it underscores the need for accountability and political reform in Bangladesh.

The Awami League's month-long protest includes demonstrations, strikes and blockades, citing grievances such as the arrest of its leaders, economic instability, and alleged human rights violations under the interim government. Even if some of these issues were valid, the party's selective outrage diminishes its credibility. It must recognise that its own governance was rife with economic mismanagement, suppression of free speech, and political violence.

The party's continued denial of public sentiment only worsens its predicament. Rather than acknowledging the people's movement as a legitimate expression of frustration, it continues to frame it as a conspiracy. This deep-seated tendency to dismiss opposition as foreign or domestic sabotage was one of the key reasons it became so isolated from the people of the country. The fact that the Awami League has not shifted from this stance suggests either a deliberate refusal to change or a complete failure to grasp the current reality. If this trend persists, it will be increasingly difficult for the party to re-enter Bangladesh's political mainstream in future.

If the Awami League wishes to regain credibility, it must first embark on a process of genuine self-reflection and reform. This means acknowledging past mistakes, removing corrupt elements, and rebuilding trust with the people it once alienated. Without these fundamental changes, its current movement risks being seen as nothing more than a desperate attempt to gain some relevance.

The responsibility of addressing Awami League's misdeeds does not solely rest on the interim government. The political opposition must also rise to the occasion by mobilising public support through democratic means, rather than relying on government crackdowns to sideline Awami League. True political change in Bangladesh will come not through suppression, but through the people's mandate.

Ultimately, Awami League's protests reflect a party grappling with its own political survival rather than a genuine struggle for democracy. Unless it undergoes a sincere transformation, it will remain trapped in a cycle of political irrelevance, unable to reclaim the trust of the Bangladeshi people.

Mohammad Al-Masum Molla is a journalist at The Daily Star.​