Banning Awami League: Students not satisfied over talks with Law Adviser

A group of students from several universities met Law Adviser Asif Nazrul and submitted a memorandum to him demanding trial and ban on Awami League and its affiliate organisations.

They, however, later said the adviser could not give them any news of hope, and for that, another July uprising will arise to ban the Awami League.

The students under the banner of ‘Gonohattakari Awami League Nishiddhakoron Andolon (Movement for banning genocidal Awani League)’ took positions in the Secretariat area on Monday.

Protesting students demanded revocation of the party’s registration, as well as putting the party on trial for all ill activities including Pilkhana carnage, Shapla Chattar killings and July massacre.

Later, five representatives of the students submitted a memorandum to the law adviser to press their demands.

The student delegation included Musaddiq Ali Ibne Mohammad of Dhaka University, Masud Rana of Jagannath University, July Revolutionary Alliance convener Saleh Mahmud Raihan, and Sadiq Al Arman and Rafid M Bhuiyan of East West University.

At the memo, the students placed nine demands, including issuance of executive order to ban Awami League, revocation of the party registration, seizure of illegal wealth owned by MPs of the past Awami League governments, identification of victims of enforced disappearance, withdrawal of political cases filed over past 15 years, and compensation, rehabilitation and security to families of July movement victims.

Speaking to newspersons after emerging from the Secretariat, delegation member Musaddiq Ali said they hoped the law adviser would give them some positive news on banning Awami League, but the adviser gave them no news of hope.

He demanded issuing an executive order to ban Awami League immediately.

Musaddiq Ali further said it seems that the government is not banning Awami League because it does not want to face the questions from international communities and embassies, but it is an anti-people decision. The people gave their verdict on 5 August that Awami League has no right to do politics on this land. That is why, registration of Awami League must be revoked and the party must be banned with any procrastination.

“We have understood it is not possible to ban Awami League without waging a mass movement. We must wage another July movement to ban Awami League and we will take to the streets soon,” he added.

Saleh Mahmud Raihan said they urged the law adviser for revoking the Article 132 of constitution that states permission from ministries concerned or superior authorities to file lawsuits against civil servants. It, however, requires permission from the home ministry to file lawsuits against BCS officers and clearance from the inspector general of police to file cases absent any police member. Many applications on cases have been filed since August, but those did not reach police stations. So, they demanded amendment or revocation of the Article, and the adviser assured them of considering the matter, he added.

East West University student Sadiq Al Arman said Awami League went into hiding after 5 August, but the party now tries to flex muscle at various places of the country. That is why they spoke to the law adviser about why it is necessary to ban Awami League and how, he added.