BNP hails AL ban, urges speedy trials
The BNP has expressed satisfaction over the interim government's decision to ban the organisational activities of the Awami League, terming it a step in the right direction.
"We are pleased that, even though belated, the interim government decided last night to suspend all activities of the 'fascist' party Awami League and its affiliated organisations," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a statement today.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He described the move as necessary to ensure the swift prosecution of those involved in "crimes against humanity" and to facilitate the uninterrupted proceedings of the International Crimes Tribunal.
"This decision to amend the relevant laws and bring the 'fascist' party—responsible for enforced disappearances, killings, oppression, and years of misrule—under legal scrutiny is the right course of action," he added.
Fakhrul said the BNP had long demanded such action and that an earlier response could have saved the government from "embarrassment and public pressure".
"We hope the interim government will keep this in mind while shaping its future activities," he said.
Following the advisory council's meeting on Saturday night, Law Adviser Asif Nazrul told reporters that the interim government has decided to ban all activities of the Awami League, including in the cyberspace, under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the International Crimes Tribunal completes the trial of the party and its leaders.
Mentioning the party's satisfaction with the decision, Fakhrul said the party had formally submitted letters to the chief adviser on February 10 and again on April 16, demanding that the Awami League be brought to trial as a political party for "genocide and crimes against humanity".
The party also called for the swift trial of those associated with the "fascist" party and its regime to cleanse the political landscape of the country, said the statement.
"In our discussions, we clearly said banning the 'fascist' Awami League should and could only be done through legal procedures. We have repeatedly raised these demands in meetings, assemblies, and discussions," he added.
The statement also recalled that the BNP had opposed the previous government's administrative decision to ban Jamaat-e-Islami just before the fall of the former regime, reiterating its stance against banning political parties through executive orders.
Fakhrul again called for a roadmap to elections, citing public frustration over the lack of a democratic process.
"For the last 16 years, the people of this country have been denied the right to vote. They have suffered enforced disappearances, killings, imprisonment, and oppression while continuing their struggle to end fascism and restore democracy," he said.
He warned that continued delays in announcing an election roadmap could further deepen public discontent.
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