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Published : 09 May 2025, 07:32 PM
As protests demanding a ban on the Awami League continue in Dhaka, the BNP's Standing Committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan has said the decision to outlaw the deposed party rests with the people, not with his party.
On Friday morning, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met with a delegation from the US-backed Carter Center. Following the meeting, Moyeen attended a media briefing, where a journalist asked about the BNP’s stance on banning the Awami League.
In response, Moyeen said: “Look, the simple answer to this question is that it is not for the BNP to decide whether the Awami League should be banned. That decision lies with the Election Commission or the government.”
“Some political parties have called for banning the Awami League. But we are not in a position to make that decision. Our secretary general has already said that this is a matter for the people. It is the people who will decide who should contest the elections. That is our position.”
Moyeen added, “You asked whether the Awami League should be allowed to contest the elections or be banned. But why not ask the Awami League instead?
“Do they really want to participate in elections? Do they really believe in democracy? That’s a question they need to answer.”
He continued, “Can you name a single Awami League leader who has admitted that they have ruled oppressively for 15 years, that they’ve ruined the country through their authoritarian rule, looted resources, and now wants to apologise to the people and contest a fair election based on public opinion? Has a single person said anything?”
“None of them has said anything like that. So really, the question shouldn't be directed at us. The answer is already known to the 180 million people of Bangladesh.”
