Hasnat’s statement ‘laughable’, ‘immature’: Army HQ to Netra News
The Army Headquarters has reacted to the Facebook post of Hasnat Abdullah, principal coordinator of National Citizen Party (NCP), regarding pressure from the army to form a “refined Awami League”.
Sweden-based Netra News on Saturday published a report on the reactions. It said the post of Hasnat Abdullah is nothing but an “extremely laughable and an immature array of stories”.
In his Facebook post, Hasnat Abdullah on Friday wrote, “11 March, 2:30 pm.
“A few days ago I told you about a new conspiracy in the name of ‘refined Awami League’. This is a plan by India. The plan is being done centering Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Shirin Sharmin and Taposh.
“The plan was presented to me and two others from the cantonment at 2:30 pm on 11 March. We were requested to accept the proposal in exchange for sharing some seats. We were said, this was proposed to several political parties already and they have agreed to rehabilitate Awami League on condition. It is better to have several opposition parties including a weaker Awami League than just one opposition party. As a result, you will find several politicians speaking in the media in favour of the Awami League for the last two days.”
The Netra News report said, “In a statement shared with Netra News, the army headquarters acknowledged that its chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman, met Hasnat Abdullah on March 11th in Dhaka Cantonment. However, the Army described Abdullah’s assertions as ‘extremely laughable and an immature array of stories’.”
“The meeting wasn’t ‘a matter of summoning them and proposing or pressuring them about the rehabilitation of the Awami League’, the statement said. Instead, it insisted, the meeting occurred at the request of Abdullah and another coordinator of his party, Sarjis Alam, who had long sought a ‘courtesy meeting’ with Waker-uz-Zaman,” the report added.
Hasnat Abdullah, 27, is a former student activist who helped lead the Anti-discrimination Student Movement that emerged after protests against a court order reinstating a quota system for government jobs.
These demonstrations eventually contributed to the downfall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August last year.
Several student leaders from the movement have served in the subsequent interim cabinet. Among them, Nahid Islam later resigned to establish the National Citizen Party, appointing Hasnat Abdullah and Sargis Alam as regional chief organisers.
The report further said NCP called a media conference on the very night of Hasnat Abdullah’s post. “Speaking at a party press conference on Friday night, Abdullah and his party colleagues doubled down on their claims. But he refused to confirm whether the 11 March meeting he referred to involved Waker-uz-Zaman.
“I have mentioned ‘cantonment’ there (in the Facebook post); you can talk to them,” he said, declining to give a “binary” yes-or-no answer when pressed by a Netra News reporter. He also claimed they had been “invited to talk” about issues of magistracy power and law and order.
“The Army’s statement contradicts much of Abdullah’s version of events, saying that Abdullah and Alam had “for a long time” sought a courtesy call with the general,” the Netra News report said.
On 11 March, the Army said, “Sarjis Alam phoned the Military Adviser to the Army Chief to arrange the meeting, and was asked to come to army headquarters.” Instead, the pair was said to have waited at Sena Bhaban, where the general met them after finishing his official duties.
The Netra News report stated that the news portal was unable to verify what was discussed during the meeting, although a senior army officer said the initiative originated with Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam. Both men, as well as Patwari, have since maintained that they do not harbour any animosity towards the army or its leadership.
The report further said, “Waker-uz-Zaman became a focus of national attention after Hasina was toppled. He was involved in negotiations with various political actors that eventually led to an interim government under Muhammad Yunus.
“Bangladesh’s army has historically played a pivotal role in the country’s political upheavals and continues to wield considerable sway in public life. The general himself has issued warnings about how protracted mudslinging among different factions could ‘threaten Bangladesh’s stability and sovereignty’.
“But the soft-spoken general has repeatedly denied any desire for direct military intervention, even as speculation continues about the armed forces’ influence on civilian politics.
“Nevertheless, unease remains.”
When Prothom Alo contacted the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) directorate about the Army Headquarter’s statement published in Netra News, ISPR said it was not aware of any such statement.