The general secretary of July Shaheed Smrity Foundation, Sarjis Alam, has expressed a firm determination that they would not allow deposed Awami League in any election before they undergo a trial for mass killing.
“We will not let Awami League participate in any election before their trial for mass killing. If necessary, there will be a second uprising,” he wrote on his verified Facebook handle on Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier on the day, Hasnat Abdullah, a key coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement, lambasted Awami League and the entities that are trying to rehabilitate them.
In a Facebook post, he said any desire to attain power by stepping on the youth’s blood and turning New Delhi into the qibla (direction of prayer or loyalty) means betraying the people’s aspiration for freedom.
“Those who will take initiatives to rehabilitate Awami League, history will identify them as public enemies,” he wrote.
He further said those who uphold the spirit of the July uprising and aim to represent the people’s aspirations must unequivocally demand trial for the Awami League in post-2024 Bangladesh, and there should be no different statements.
On the previous day, youth and sports adviser Asif Mahmud echoed similar sentiments while speaking at a discussion.
“When we, on behalf of the government, talk about banning the Awami League, political parties try to hinder the attempt through their speeches. As the Nazi Party was banned in Germany in 1945 and still remains so, it should be a precedent to understand the fate of the Awami League,” he said.