Student leaders press to keep AL away from elections

The interim government is facing a dilemma over whether to ban the Bangladesh Awami League (AL) from politics and elections.

Student leaders, who led the July-August student-people uprising are adamant about keeping the Awami League out of politics and elections.

On the other hand, the major political party Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is opposed to banning any party. 

BNP and its like-minded allies are calling for early elections, while leaders of the Students Against Discrimination are demanding that the Awami League be banned and excluded from the elections.

They insist that urgent reforms must be completed before the elections, and they want a decision on whether the Awami League should have the right to participate in politics. This has created significant pressure on the interim government to set clear priorities. 

In an interview with the Indian media outlet The Hindu, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus stated, “This is already announced. We didn’t want to take decisions about the political party, and the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) has done that, saying that all political parties must contest elections. So they already made the verdict, and we cannot defy the opinion of a major party of the country.”

Following the publication of this interview last Monday, the issue of banning the Awami League has resurfaced. In this context, BNP’s stance is seen as an obstacle, fueling a perception in the political arena.

Many leaders of the Students Against Discrimination have reacted angrily, threatening a “second movement” if necessary to prevent any attempts to rehabilitate the Awami League.

Since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August and the formation of an interim government after the student-people uprising, student leaders have taken a strong stance in favour of banning the Awami League.

On 23 October, the interim government took the step of banning the Awami League’s student organisation, Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

For the past 15 years, the BNP has opposed the Awami League, calling for Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and fair elections. 

However, the leaders of the Students Against Discrimination have yet to receive BNP’s support for the call to ban the Awami League.

Earlier, BNP did not respond to the student leaders’ demand for the removal of the Awami League-appointed President Mohammed Shahabuddin, fearing that it might spark a new crisis, according to BNP sources.

After learning of BNP’s stance on the Awami League issue through the Chief Advisor’s interview, Sarjis Alam, a leader of the Students Against Discrimination and general secretary of the July Shaheed Smriti Foundation, expressed his anger.

On Tuesday, Sarjis posted on his verified Facebook page, “We will not allow the Awami League to participate in any election before the genocide trial. If necessary, there will be a second uprising.”

In a similar vein, Hasnat Abdullah, the convener of the Students Against Discrimination, wrote on his Facebook page, “The desire to seize power by stepping on the blood of students and children and appeasing Delhi is a betrayal of the people’s intention to liberate themselves. Those who work towards the rehabilitation of the Awami League will be remembered by history as enemies of the people.” 

He further wrote, “Those who hold the spirit of the July Uprising and wish to reflect the hopes and aspirations of the masses cannot make any statement about the Awami League in the political arena other than demanding that the Awami League face trial in Bangladesh after the 2024 uprising.”

Although he did not mention names, it is clear that these statements were aimed at the BNP. Political circles view these remarks by the two influential student leaders as a form of pressure on both the government and the BNP.

When asked about these statements, Hasnat Abdullah told Prothom Alo Tuesday evening that they view those supporting fascism as an obstacle to reforms and the banning of Awami League politics.

He said, “BNP has suffered the most in the last 16 years. From that standpoint, we expect the BNP to play a key role in the ongoing reform process and the elimination of fascism.”

Hasnat Abdullah continued, “The people have high expectations of the BNP. If people see the gap between these expectations and BNP’s current activities, they can make perceptions. We want the BNP to continue its uncompromising stance against fascism.”

In this context, it appears that the decision on whether to ban the Awami League will be postponed for now.

The interim government has prepared a draft amendment to the International Crimes (Tribunal) Ordinance, which will be presented to the Advisory Council for approval on Wednesday.

This was confirmed by Professor Asif Nazrul, adviser to the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, during a press conference at the Secretariat Tuesday.

When asked if the draft law includes provisions on the trial of political parties, Asif Nazrul clarified, “The court has not been given direct authority over such matters. However, it has been stated that if the court deems it necessary, it can recommend to the concerned authorities to take appropriate disciplinary actions.”

The interim government is committed to holding elections after completing the necessary reform process, a stance shared by the leaders of the student-people uprising.

While the BNP does not explicitly state this, the party is calling for a clear roadmap or a date for the election. It advocates for urgent reforms and swift elections.

In his address to the nation last Sunday, Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus spoke about the election process, stating, “The election train has started its journey, and it will not stop. But we must complete many tasks along the way. When this train reaches its final destination will depend on how quickly we can lay the railway tracks, and that will be through the consensus of political parties.”

Sources within the interim government say that the current administration assumed office with the promise of state reforms. Both students and the public are calling for these reforms to be completed before the elections. As a result, regardless of BNP’s demands, the government’s position has been to proceed to elections only after completing certain reforms related to both the electoral process and the constitution.

On Monday, Commonwealth Assistant Secretary General Professor Luis Franceschi called on Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology Adviser Md. Nahid Islam at the Secretariat.

During the meeting, Nahid Islam clarified, “The current interim government is not a caretaker government. Therefore, it is not the responsibility of this government to hold elections alone. Various commissions have already been established for institutional reforms, and elections will be held after these reforms are completed.”

Similarly, in a speech at the Secretariat yesterday, Tuesday, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul also emphasised the need for elections to take place only after the necessary reforms.

Political sources indicate that BNP has adopted a strategy to pressure the government into holding elections more quickly, while student leaders are attempting to exert pressure on the BNP by accusing it of “rehabilitating the Awami League.”