Speakers, including political and youth leaders, academics, rights activists, and the victims of Awami misrule at a discussion demanded trial of ousted Awami League leaders, activists and their allies for killing people during the student-led mass uprising.
They said that Awami League established a fascist regime in 15 years and got involved in violation of human rights, such as forced disappearance, killing, repression, limiting freedom of expression and others.
Expressing hope for a change in the country after the fall of AL regime in a mass uprising on August 5, they demanded that the AL leaders and activists should be brought to book for its activities.
The United States-based online news portal Benar News organised the discussion at the National Museum in the city on Tuesday, marking 100 days of the Professor Muhammad Yunus-led interim government formed on August 8.聽
Writer and academic Salimullah Khan said that let the AL be abolished if it needed to be in the course of history.
He demanded bringing AL and its associates, including thinkers, journalists and teachers under trial for not only being involved in killing people but also in repression and restraining people鈥檚 freedom of expression.
Professor Salimullah Khan mentioned that people in the country were cheated since 1972 and hoped for an equality-based democracy in the upcoming days in the country.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party鈥檚 acting chairman Tarique Rahman鈥檚 adviser Mahdi Amin said that the party and the party鈥檚 leaders and activists were the victims of AL repression and many of them were killed in the movement.
He demanded justice for the repression and killing.
Mahdi expressed that he wanted a Bangladesh where people can enjoy the freedom as citizen and the government would be accountable.
A change of power does not mean a change of ruling party, a change of power here means a change of an ideology, hoped Mahdi for the upcoming days.
Student Movement Against Discrimination platform convener Hasnat Abdullah criticised the role of media houses and journalists favouring AL during the movement and urged the journalists to practice constructive journalism.
He also criticised the political parties who were trying to rehabilitate the AL and said that the time to discuss whether AL would return or not, had not come yet.
Who are raising the discussion before AL鈥檚 trial, do not hold the spirit of the student-led mass uprising, said Hasnat.
Bangladesh interim government chief adviser鈥檚 press secretary Shafiqul Alam said that the AL who killed people and established fascism must be brought to book.
Betrayal will be done with the spirit of the uprising if AL is not brought to justice, said Shafiqul, adding that AL was trying to justify the killing without regretting.
Besides, Maayer Daak co-founder Sanjida Islam Tulee; victim Golam Nafiz鈥檚 mother Nazma Akhter and victim Jahid Hossain鈥檚 father Jahangir Hossain, who were killed during the uprising; forced disappearance victim Mubashar Hasan and actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, among others, spoke at the programme.