National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam on Sunday said that the Awami League cannot be held accountable simply by halting its activities temporarily through executive action.
He demanded a permanent ban on the party through a formal trial process, citing its alleged crimes against humanity during the July 2024 mass uprising.
He made these remarks to the journalists after concluding his testimony before International Crimes Tribunal-1 as the 47th prosecution witness in the crimes against humanity case against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
The case accuses them of bearing superior command responsibility for the violent suppression of the uprising.
鈥楢L must be brought to justice as a political party. Its activities have been suspended temporarily through executive order but that is not a permanent solution,鈥� Nahid said.
鈥業t cannot be dealt with simply by pausing its operations. The party must face justice,鈥� he added.
Reflecting on the July uprising, Nahid, who was the key person among the 118 students coordinators of the July mass uprising, stated that the movement was a legitimate expression of the people鈥檚 will.
He explained that protesters had rallied behind a one-point demand to remove Sheikh Hasina from office and establish a new government.
鈥楾he then government opened fire indiscriminately on demonstrators, despite holding power for 16 years denying the voting rights of people,鈥� Nahid said.
鈥楾he one-point demand to oust the AL-led regime was not a conspiracy 鈥� it was a legal and popular movement,鈥� he continued.
He firmly rejected claims that the uprising was backed by any internal or external conspirators.
鈥楾he July uprising was a people鈥檚 movement 鈥� not the result of any conspiracy,鈥� Nahid concluded.
