‘Zero tolerance’ against Awami League

Bangladesh Awami League is trying to make a comeback in different ways through conspiracy, Students Against Discrimination has stated.

The student body further said an anti-fascism unity is required now. As part of that, they held an urgent meeting with leaders of 19 student organisations on Monday night. 

They reached a unanimous decision on four issues at this meeting. One of those four is “Zero tolerance to Awami League”. Another is to observe “National Student Solidarity Week” from today, Tuesday.

Leaders of 19 students organisations including Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Islami Chhatra Shibir, Chhatra Federation, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, Islami Chhatra Andolan, and Biplobi Chhatra Parishad attended the meeting organised by the Students Against Discrimination to resolve the “ongoing conflicts and clashes”. 

The meeting continued from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am on Monday night at the central office of Students Against Discrimination at Rupayan Trade Centre in the capital’s Banglamotor area.

Members of Students Against Discrimination executive council including convener Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser Abdul Hannan Masud, and spokesperson Umama Fatema were present in the meeting.

Among other Chhatra Dal central organising secretary Amanullah Aman, Chhatra Shibir Dhaka University unit general secretary SM Farhad, Chhatra Federation central president Mashiur Rahman Khan and general secretary Saikat Arif, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad central president Bin Yamin Mollah, and Biplobi Chhatra Parishad leader Abdul Wahed participated in the discussion.

At the meeting, leaders of different student organisations presented their observations and proposals concerning the ongoing situation of the country.

Some of the student leaders also expressed their grievances over the issue of not being valued properly, stated sources from the meeting.

Following the meeting Students Against Discrimination convener Hasnat Abdullah said it has been decided in the meeting that all of them will be united on some basic issues. This includes “Zero tolerance to Awami League”. On the question of rehabilitating Awami League, every single anti-fascism student organisation will follow a “zero tolerance” policy.

Stating that it seems like a “season of movement” has been going on in the country, Hasnat Abdullah said that there’s a huge funding of Awami fascists here. In principle, everyone has agreed that the assets of those elected from the Awami League in the last three national elections should be confiscated as quickly as possible. The interim government has to take clear and visible steps in this regard.

While highlighting the third point of their consensus Hasnat Abdullah said that if the interim government thinks that they build a polished Bangladesh with the same Awami administration that strengthened fascism, it would be a wrong step for the government. The interim government in the fastest possible time has to polish the administrative structure by taking out the officials recruited on Awami League’s political recommendation.

Speaking on the fourth issue of their consensus, Hasnat Abdullah said that taking advantage of the scope of movement at different places including Dr Mahbubur Rahman Mollah College, Awami League affiliates, including Chhatra League, are joining in and creating conflicts. From that point of view, they have announced “National Students Solidarity Week” for the next seven days with the message unity like that from before 5 August.

As part of that the political parties and student organisations against fascism will be circulating a message of unity and solidarity to different institutions.

This programme has been taken to reaffirm organisational bonding by spreading the message that there is no alternative to be united against rehabilitation of Awami fascism. The National Students Solidarity Week will start from Tuesday, he said.

Mentioning that the discussion of unity will continue, Hasnat stated that in future there will be discussions on what will be the structure of student politics, and how can the young generation and the student organisations play a role in reforming the state.

Apart from that, there will also be discussions on various other issues including the formation of a student council to remain united, he added.

Addressing the school and college students in the end, Hasnat Abdullah said that there will be an attempt to create division in different ways and there will be attempts of dirty politics. A conspiracy of disrupting the harmony is being brewed. Millions are being spent on this from abroad. 

However, the environment of the educational institutes, public properties and national unity should not be hampered so that the fascist powers do not get the chance of rehabilitation. He called for the students of schools and colleges to remain united.

In response to a question, Hasnat Abdullah said, “A notion has been created that only Awami League protects the minorities. But it is the Awami League who has taken away the rights of the minorities the most and tortured them the most in the history of the country.”

Prior to this meeting there was an urgent meeting of the central executive committee of Students against Discrimination Monday afternoon on the overall situation of the country. This meeting also emphasised on coordination of all the stakeholders alongside anti-fascism unity.