New debate emerges over keeping AL away from politics, election

A statement from the interim government said that it will prevent the political programmes of the parties including the ousted Awami League, which participated in the last three elections, has given rise to new discussions.

Different political parties including BNP maintain that the problem will arise if any decision is taken about elections or to prevent parties from politics without discussing with the political parties.

After the collapse of the 15 and a half year rule of the Awami League amid the student-people's uprising, the question of banning the politics of the party is being discussed in various quarters. In such a context, for the first time in a briefing on behalf of the interim government, a statement came about not allowing the Awami League to carry out political programmes.

After the dialogue of the political parties with the chief adviser, a journalist asked about preventing the Awami League and its allies from participating in the elections in the press briefing last Saturday.

In response, special assistant to the chief adviser Mahfuz Alam said that those who participated in the last three elections have cheated the people by being elected illegally.

The government's position on this matter is clear—it will create barriers to participation in their political programmes. The process of preventing them from politics will be clearer later. It has legal and administrative aspects. Things will become clear once the election process begins.

However, it is not clear to the political parties whether the interim government has taken any decision to prevent any party from politics or taking part in the elections. Because, in the dialogue of the political parties with the chief advisor on 5 October and last Saturday, no such decision or policy of the government was disclosed.

Some parties have talked about banning the Awami League and its allies. Some parties, including BNP, think that the people will decide on keeping anyone out of elections and politics.

BNP’s standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury told Prothom Alo on Sunday that BNP and different other political parties shed their blood and faced harassment during the Awami League’s 15 years in power. That’s why any decision on politics and election must be taken in consultation with political parties. He mentioned that no certain quarter has been given the responsibility to take decisions on politics and elections.

Several other parties echoed the same. Zonayed Saki, a key leader of Ganatantra Mancha, told Prothom Alo that action should be taken against those involved in killings and looting under the fascist Awami regime. But keeping them out of politics should be the jurisdiction of the court and the people.

Mahfuz Alam, special assistant to the chief adviser, however, told Prothom Alo yesterday that people have concerns and questions about those who participated in the last three controversial elections and were elected illegally. That is what he highlighted in Saturday's press briefing. He also said that the government has not yet taken any decision to prevent anyone from elections and politics or to obstruct political programmes. After the election commission is reconstituted, the government will discuss the matter with all the parties and take a decision.

The last three elections (2014, 2018 and 2024) have been disputed. Most of the parties including BNP did not participate in the one-sided elections in 2014. Even in 2024, Awami League conducted a farcical election by sharing seats with allies. Six months after the election, the government collapsed amid the student-people's uprising.

In the 2018 election, there were allegations of serious irregularities, including stuffing of ballots the night before the polls. However, all parties including the BNP participated in that election.

BNP leaders say that they participated in the 2018 elections but raised questions about the irregularities in that election. They argue that participating in elections and supporting a fascist regime are not the same thing. Jamaat-e-Islami's central publicity secretary Matiur Rahman Akanda told Prothom Alo that they participated in the 2018 elections but boycotted voting on the morning of the polling day due to irregularities.

Jatiya party was Awami League’s ally or associate in the three parliaments under Sheikh Hasina. Now as participation in the last three elections came to the fore, JaPa secretary general Mujibul Haque told Prothom Alo that his party did not do anything illegal and unconstitutional by contesting in the three elections.

Sources said the interim government is under pressure from different quarters including student leaders about preventing Awami League and its allies from participating in the polls. The demand to ban Awami League is also there. Even some from inside the government might have similar views on Awami League. Several parties including LDP raised the demand of banning Awami League during the dialogue with the chief adviser. However, BNP leaders maintained that they are against banning any party. They think the people will take the decision.  

Awami League was criticised heavily for holding one-sided elections without giving a chance to the opposition parties. BNP and the majority of the parties were kept out of the electoral race. As a result the questions of legality of those elections have arisen.  Similar question might arise now if Awami League is barred from any future election. Some BNP leaders also held this view.

Al Masud Hasanuzzaman, Jahangirnagar University’s professor of government and politics department, told Prothom Alo that it is the responsibility of the election commission to decide which party can take part in election and which not based on dialogue with all political parties.

However, the Awami League government was toppled amid the killing of many people. As a result a different context has emerged against Awami League and tough action against the party has come to discussion.