The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday welcomed the interim government鈥檚 decision to ban all activities of the Awami League and its affiliates, calling it a timely and essential step towards delivering justice for the alleged crimes against humanity committed under the AL regime.
鈥榃e consider the decision to amend the relevant laws to bring the fascist party 鈥� which for years carried out enforced disappearances, murders, repression, and misrule against the people 鈥� to trial as a correct and necessary step,鈥� BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a statement.
The government on Saturday announced a ban on all Awami League activities, including those online, under the Anti-Terrorism Act, pending the completion of the International Crimes Tribunal鈥檚 trial of the party and its leadership.
The government also approved an amendment to the International Crimes聽 Tribunal Act, granting the tribunal authority to punish political parties, their affiliated organisations, and supporter groups for crimes under its jurisdiction.
Responding to the government move, the BNP in its statement said that the party was pleased that the government has finally taken steps to begin legal action against those involved with the fascist regime, which he blamed for disappearances, killings, repression, and years of misrule.
Fakhrul, however, said that had the decision been made earlier in response to their demands, the government would not have faced the uncomfortable and unwelcome situation of acting under pressure.
He expressed the hope that the interim government would keep this in mind and act with greater caution in the future.
鈥極n February 10, in the letter we handed to the chief adviser during our meeting, we demanded that the Awami League be brought under a judicial process as a political party for its responsibility in the genocide and crimes against humanity,鈥� Fakhrul said.
The BNP secretary general pointed out that during their most recent meeting with the chief adviser on April 16, the BNP had submitted another letter, reiterating their demand for a swift prosecution of all those involved with the fallen fascist regime and the Awami League party in order to cleanse the country鈥檚 political arena of its toxic legacy.
He said they had made it clear in the discussion that banning the Awami League through legal proceedings is both possible and necessary.
Fakhrul said the BNP had opposed the former regime鈥檚 decision to ban the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami through an administrative order, as they believed political parties should not be banned without due legal process.
Highlighting the struggles of the people over the 16 years of the latest AL rule, the statement said that citizens endured disappearances, killings, imprisonment, and repression in their fight to reclaim the right to vote and to restore democracy.
Yet, their demands were not realised, mentioned the BNP statement.
Fakhrul warned that the interim government鈥檚 continued failure to announce a clear and credible road map for the restoration of democracy is fuelling public frustration.
鈥榃e call on the interim government to take this growing discontent into account seriously and act accordingly,鈥� he said.