Political firestorm brews in Bangladesh over Hasnat, Asif Mahmud’s remarks

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Hasnat Abdullah's explosive accusation that the army is conspiring to rehabilitate the Awami League has ignited a political storm in Bangladesh.

Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has also dropped a bombshell by claiming that the army chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman “did not want” Muhammad Yunus to be appointed as the chief advisor.

Protests have erupted up and down the country with the demand for outlawing the Awami League.

The presence of troops on the streets has been visibly higher than usual.

Amid the conundrum, the Awami League’s student front Bangladesh Chhatra League took out a procession condemning the interim government.

The BNP, which has avoided taking a direct stance on banning the Awami League, says the “public” will decide on the return of the ousted party to politics.

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman commented that the people will not accept the rehabilitation of the Awami League.

He said, “The people prioritise seeing the trial for ‘genocide’. There is no room to think about anything else.

“We call on the people from all walks of life to act with restraint, caution, and unity, to rise above party politics, and play a responsible role in protecting the country’s independence and sovereignty.”

Nahid Islam, the convenor of the National Citizen Party, formed by student leaders of the July Uprising, has backed Hasanat.

The former interim advisor said neither the army nor any other state institution has the authority to intervene in political matters.

He called for the cessation of such practices in Bangladesh.

Political analysts say that the right to operate a political party like the Awami League should be left to the “verdict of the people”.

Banning any party through law or imposition “sends a negative message”.

Zobaida Nasreen, a professor of Anthropology at Dhaka University, said: “I am not in favour of banning any party.

“I want to make it clear that whether a party remains active in politics should be decided through a fair democratic process, where the people can express their views on which parties they support and which they do not."

Regarding Hasnat's remarks, the professor said: "It is difficult to comment on a Facebook post. The political developments of the past two days have been quite varied and significant.

“In particular, I have learned from the media about Hasnat Abdullah's post and the subsequent procession at Dhaka University calling for the ban on Awami League's politics," she added.

WHY SUDDEN DISCUSSION ON AL REHABILITATION?

In a discussion with Comfort Ero, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group (ICG) at the State Guest House Jamuna on Thursday, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus highlighted that the interim government has no plans to ban the Awami League.

He, however, clarified that those party leaders facing charges of murder and crimes against humanity would be brought to justice in Bangladesh’s courts.

Following his statement, Hasnat accused the military of “pressuring” to rehabilitate the Awami League.

In a Facebook post around 2am on Friday, Hasnat claimed that he and two other individuals had been presented with a proposal for a “refined Awami League” by the “cantonment”.

WHAT DID HASNAT WRITE?

Hasnat wrote, “We were proposed a deal for [parliamentary] seats in exchange for accepting the proposal. We were told that multiple political parties were presented with the proposal and they had accepted the rehabilitation of the Awami League conditionally.

“Wouldn’t it be better to have multiple opposition parties, including a weakened Awami League, rather than just one?” the officials allegedly asked.

“As a result, you’ll see that over the past two days, several politicians have started giving statements in favour of the Awami League in the media," he added.

“A plan is underway to introduce a fresh conspiracy called the Refined Awami League. It is being crafted with figures such as Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhary, and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh at the forefront,” Hasnat wrote.

According to Hasnat, those with whom the Refined Awami League would consist of will confess the crimes of the Sheikh family from April-May and they would appear in front of the people with promises of revitalising a party with Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's vision.

After former prime minister Sheikh Hasina fled in the face of a mass uprising on Aug 5, President Mohammed Shahabuddin abolished the parliament the following day.

Within 27 days of the government’s fall, parliament speaker Shirin resigned from her position. She was alleged in a murder case in Rangpur during the protests.

Saber, MP of Dhaka-9 constituency, was arrested on Oct 6, but he was granted bail in six cases two days later.

Former Dhaka mayor Taposh, a relative of Hasina, fled the country before the fall of the government.

“This plan is entirely orchestrated by India,” Hasnat alleged.

Following Hasnat’s post on Facebook, a protest was launched on Dhaka University campus demanding the ban. The protests continued on Friday at different places in the country.

On Thursday, however, Yunus made it clear that the interim government had no intention of banning the Awami League.

Hasnat claimed when he and his colleagues had rejected the idea and instead demanded accountability for the Awami League’s alleged misdeeds, the discussion escalated.

“We were told that if we obstruct the Awami League’s return, we would bear responsibility for any ensuing national crisis,” he wrote.

“They said, ‘the Awami League must come back’.”

At one point in the exchange, Hasnat recounted, he questioned how a political party that had neither apologised nor admitted to its past wrongdoings could be reinstated.

The response, he alleged, was dismissive.

“They said, ‘you people know nothing’. ‘You lack wisdom and experience. We have been in service for at least forty years, which is more than your age’.”

When the student leaders remained firm in their opposition, Hasnat claimed that tensions rose further.

“I told them, ‘If the Awami League is to return, it will have to be over our dead bodies,” he wrote.

The meeting, he said, ended without resolution.

In his post, Hasnat issued a call for unity against “efforts to rehabilitate the Awami League before it could face trial”.

“I do not know what will happen to me after posting this,” he wrote.

“I may come under pressure, and I may even be in danger. But there is no room to compromise on the issue of banning the Awami League.”

Vowing to resist any attempt to reinstate the party, he warned: “As long as we have a drop of blood in our bodies, we will not let the sacrifices of our martyrs go in vain.”

WHAT’S ASIF MAHMUD SAYING?

Advisor Asif has alleged that Bangladesh Army chief Gen Waker “didn’t want” the appointment of Yunus as the chief advisor to the interim government.

In a video message, he claimed that the army chief had strong reservations about Yunus, citing legal troubles and concerns over political acceptance.

Recalling the events of an Aug 6 meeting at Bangabhaban, he said, “The main veto from the Army chief was: Why Muhammad Yunus? Why not someone else? Yunus has a case against him. He is a convicted person. How can a convicted person actually serve as the chief advisor of a country?”

According to Asif, Waker argued that the interim government needed to be broadly acceptable.

“He [Waker] directly said, ‘Awami League can’t stand Yunus. It dislikes him. In Bangladesh, ultimately, 30 to 40 percent of the people support the Awami League. Should a person be made the chief advisor against the opinion of these 30 to 40 percent of the people?’” Asif said.

“I remember the Army chief telling us, ‘I am accepting this decision with a heavy heart’.”

WHAT ARE POLITICIANS AND ANALYSTS SAYING?

Amid swirling discussions about whether the Awami League should be banned from politics, the BNP senior joint secretary general believes the public should decide on the party's fate after it faces justice for its atrocities.

On Friday, he called on the interim government to “swiftly ensure trials” for the mass killings during the July Uprising that eventually ended the Awami League's 15-year rule.

“Words are being thrown around on whether the Awami League should be able to participate in politics. Won’t those who committed genocide be judged? Didn’t people see who did it?” he said.

“Which police, OC, SP or DC played a role in this?... Which Awami League leaders gave the orders to shed blood, destroy the mass movement….”

He continued: “The Awami League is an old party. If they’re judged for their crimes and then people allow them into politics, we won’t really have anything to say.”

Speaking at an emergency press conference on Friday night, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam said: "The matter of banning the Awami League and elections is a political decision.

“It is for the government, the people, and the existing political parties to decide."

He added, "Political matters must be resolved democratically, and we seek to move forward through a democratic process.”

At the briefing, NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said: "Seven months ago, students and the public sacrificed their lives to free the country from fascism. We had hoped the Awami League chapter in Bangladesh was closed for good.

“But sadly, efforts are being made from different levels of the state to rehabilitate the Awami League. Foreign powers are attempting to endorse the Awami League’s stance.”

He added, “The NCP strongly opposes these domestic and international conspiracies."

In a written statement, Nahid said despite seven months passing since the uprising, there has been no visible progress in prosecuting Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders accused of “genocide”.

"The chief advisor has said there are no plans to ban the Awami League. We strongly condemn this remark.

"The NCP seeks to ensure justice for the July massacre and other genocides and crimes against humanity committed by the previous fascist regime.

“The Awami League’s registration must be revoked during the trial, and the NCP will resist any attempt by this mafia group to return to politics."

When asked why a political party should be banned in a democratic process, the NCP leader said: "The Awami League is not a democratic or political party; rather, it is a fascist party. The Awami League was not defeated through votes in an election.

"The Awami League conducted ‘genocide’ in Bangladesh through organisational decisions, which led to an unprecedented mass uprising.

“As a result, Awami League currently stands outside the democratic framework," he added.

Zobaida expressed her opposition to banning any political party.

“The Awami League is the oldest political party in the country,” she said.

“There have been past calls for its ban over allegations of oppression. Similar demands have been made regarding Jamaat-e-Islami, which has faced even greater accusations. But personally, I do not support banning any party.”

The professor emphasised that a party’s survival should be determined by the will of the Bangladeshi people, not government intervention.

Political legitimacy, she argued, is rooted in public support rather than legal prohibitions.

“Enforcing a ban through legislation or government orders does not send a positive message in Bangladeshi politics,” she said.

“A political party exists because of its base. What matters is how much trust it holds among the people.”

Ultimately, Zobaida said, elections serve as the true measure of a party’s relevance.

“If the people no longer trust the Awami League, if they reject it, that will be what truly matters,” she said.

TROOPS ACTIVITY INTENSIFIES

Military activity has intensified in Dhaka amid the ongoing nationwide crackdown by joint forces to maintain law and order.

From Friday morning, army personnel were seen patrolling key roads, setting up checkpoints, and conducting searches at a level higher than usual.

Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director Lt Col Sami Ud Dowla Chowdhury brushed aside concerns over increased deployment.

“This is part of the army’s regular duties; no such thing as extra patrols or checkpoints,” he said.

All through Friday, soldiers conducted searches and set up checkpoints in different areas including Rampura, Shantinagar, Kakrail, the National Press Club, Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Mohakhali, Bijoy Sharani, Gulshan, and Khilkhet.

Suspicious motorcycles and cars were stopped and searched as part of a joint forces operation.