Sheikh Hasina’s Return, Awami League Ban Withdrawal Demanded at Party Meeting

Shibbir Ahmed, New York: A virtual meeting of the Central Executive Committee of the Bangladesh Awami League was held on Friday, September 18, under the chairmanship of Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim. Awami League President, Bangabandhu’s daughter and People’s Leader Sheikh Hasina attended the meeting as the chief guest and delivered a keynote address offering guidance to party leaders and activists.

In her address, Sheikh Hasina said she had held consultations in phases with leaders and activists from the Awami League’s 83 district branches and 160 electoral constituencies to learn about the actual situation of the country and its people through grassroots representatives and assess the organisational condition of the party.

Referring to the information gathered through these consultations, she said every sector of the country was on the verge of destruction and that the situation was continuously deteriorating. She stressed the need to protect the country from the prevailing situation.

Instructing leaders responsible for organisational affairs, Sheikh Hasina said priority should be given to those who had suffered various forms of persecution when selecting leadership in areas where organisational gaps existed. She said the strength of the Awami League lay with the people and its grassroots leaders and activists, adding that the party placed its trust in them and did not rely on any other force.

She also called for collecting information about individuals who had faced persecution and repression over the past nearly two years, regardless of their political affiliation, and publicising the information to raise awareness among the people. At the same time, she said the identities and actions of those responsible for persecution and repression should also be exposed. Sheikh Hasina said many innocent military and civilian officials had been arrested in false cases and demanded their release.

Referring to the events of July-August 2024, she said members of law enforcement agencies had made every possible effort to protect lives and property. She said many police officers were killed, their bodies were burned, and police stations were looted and set on fire. She expressed her determination to ensure justice for all the killings through judicial investigations.

Citing information received from across the country, Sheikh Hasina said the country was now plunged into darkness, with indiscriminate killings, rape, looting, extortion, the filing of cases and other forms of wrongdoing taking place. She alleged that the government was turning a blind eye to these activities and allowing its leaders and activists to engage in wrongdoing. She further said that although the government could not provide food for the people, it was able to produce bodies.

Reiterating her intention to return to Bangladesh to save the country from the prevailing situation, Sheikh Hasina expressed surprise at what she described as obstacles being created by the government. “I am eager to return to the country, yet the government is creating obstacles,” she said.

Addressing Awami League leaders and activists, she said that regardless of the extent of persecution or the number of death sentences handed down against them, they must remain beside the people and build resistance together with them.

During the meeting, Awami League leaders demanded the cancellation of what they described as illegal death sentences handed down by the so-called International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) against Sheikh Hasina and other party leaders. They also called for the abolition of the tribunal.

The meeting expressed deep concern and outrage over the prevailing socio-economic and political situation in the country, the transition to a democratic state system, the deterioration in the supply and security of oil, gas, water and electricity, the worsening law and order situation, and the economic deadlock.

The meeting also noted that the so-called International Crimes Tribunal had recently handed down death sentences on what the party described as baseless and fabricated charges against Sheikh Hasina and prominent Awami League leaders. Those named included General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Joint General Secretary Agriculturist A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim, valiant freedom fighter Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Professor Mohammad Ali Arafat, Bangladesh Awami Jubo League Chairman Professor Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, General Secretary Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, and Bangladesh Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, among others. The meeting maintained that the tribunal had no legal basis and strongly rejected its actions.

Following discussions, the Central Executive Committee unanimously adopted proposals calling for reductions in the prices of essential commodities and ensuring the supply of electricity, oil, gas and fertiliser. The meeting also called for employment arrangements for workers who had lost their jobs, the reopening of closed industries and factories, the release of all political prisoners and the withdrawal of all false cases.

The committee further demanded the withdrawal of the ban on the Bangladesh Awami League, the abolition of what the party described as the illegal ICT Tribunal, and the cancellation of its death sentences against Sheikh Hasina and other Awami League leaders. It also called for the withdrawal of cases filed against innocent military and civilian officials of the Republic and the release of those who had been arrested.

The meeting was moderated by Awami League Liberation War Affairs Secretary Advocate Mrinal Kanti Das. General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Presidium Members Mofazzel Hossain Chowdhury Maya Bir Bikram and valiant freedom fighter Advocate Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Joint General Secretary Agriculturist A.F.M. Bahauddin Nasim, Organising Secretaries S.M. Kamal Hossain and Sujit Roy Nandi, Member Professor Mohammad Ali Arafat, Deputy Secretary Raymond Areng and other leaders spoke at the meeting, reviewing the overall situation in the country. Other members of the Central Executive Committee also participated in the virtual meeting.