admin
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Adviser Habibur Rahman Habib has expressed solidarity with the demand to ban the Awami League, labeling it as a fascist and terrorist organisation. Habib stated that Awami League is not a political party but a fascist group, and called for its immediate ban.
Meanwhile, Mohammad Bashir Alam, father of Shaheed Mohammad Shahadat Hossain Shawon, who was martyred in July, demanded the prosecution of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others responsible for the July massacre. He also called for the banning of Awami League before the upcoming national elections. He warned that the martyr families and student communities would obstruct the elections if this demand was not met.
This statement came during the closing rally of a 36-day-long sit-in protest at the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University, demanding the banning of Awami League and its allied parties.
Habibur Rahman Habib highlighted that the 36-day protest was justified, as Awami League had committed one of the worst genocides in history, killing 162 people, many of whom were under 18 years old. He emphasised that, just like fascists in Italy and Nazis in Germany, Awami League must also be banned.
In his speech, Habib also referred to past mistakes made during the 1990 anti-autocracy movement, where the National Party led by autocrat Ershad was not banned, and stressed that a similar mistake should not be made with Awami League.
Habib further stressed that not only Awami League but also its allies, including the 14-party alliance and two factions of the Jatiya Party, should be banned.
Bashir Alam, father of Shaheed Shawon, expressed his anger over the lack of justice for his son’s murder, stating that no one had been arrested for the crime, and Awami League remained unbanned. He demanded the immediate return and trial of Sheikh Hasina for the atrocities committed. He insisted that no election should take place unless Awami League and its allies are banned, urging the arrest of all Awami League leaders and workers.
Fazlur Rahman, the general secretary of the Revolutionary Student Council, explained that the sit-in movement, led by leaders from the Nationalist Student Party of Dhaka University, was the beginning of a national campaign. The protestors organised video screenings of the July genocide, compiled lists of fascist MPs, collected signatures, and submitted a memorandum to Dr Muhammad Yunus, the interim head of the government, but received no response from the government.
The movement will continue and expand across the country, with a firm commitment to oppose fascism, according to Fazlur Rahman.
Among the attendees at the rally were the mother of Shaheed Shawon, Shamsunnahar, political leaders from the National Revolutionary Council, members of the Revolutionary Student Council, and several activists.
