No Politics for Awami League Denying July, Says Information Minister Partho, Setting Apology as a Condition
Information and Broadcasting Minister Barrister Andaleeb Rahman Partho has said in strong terms that there is no opportunity for the Awami League to do politics in Bangladesh while denying July. In his words, to return to politics the party must acknowledge July, apologise for the events of July and ensure punishment for those responsible. Whether the people then give it an opportunity is something only time will tell.
He made the remarks on Thursday (22 October) evening while answering journalists' questions during a mass contact programme at Bankerhat Bazar in Veduria Union of his parliamentary constituency Bhola-1. Partho, chairman of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), also inquired after local people during the programme.
The information minister said the Awami League destroyed the country's democracy for 17 years. Yet now it is the Awami League that complains there is no democracy in the country. In his words, talk of democracy does not suit the Awami League. He said the present government has restored democracy after being elected.
On the question of the Awami League returning to political activities, Partho said the party is not aware of the current situation in Bangladesh. It fled the country nearly two and a half years ago. Since then it has had no significant political activity, apart from a handful of processions.
He said if the Awami League wants to return to politics, it will have to do so after much thought. Reiterating that there is no scope for politics that denies July, he restated the conditions: an apology for the events of July and ensuring punishment for those responsible.
The information minister remarked that after those responsible are punished, if the people of Bangladesh feel the party should be given a chance to do politics, time will tell. In other words, he left the final verdict on the Awami League's return to the people.
Criticising the Awami League's past statements, Partho said the party used to say militancy would rise if the BNP came to power. Now it says there is no democracy in the country. He alleged that the Awami League is trying to build a new narrative abroad.
Raising the issue of religious harmony, the minister said the Awami League used to campaign that there would be no Puja in the country if the BNP came to power. But in reality, members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh have celebrated Durga Puja amid joy and festivity. He said he had never seen Puja celebrated in Bangladesh's history with such uninterrupted and beautiful security, with his own eyes.
He also commented that attempts are being made at negative campaigning abroad about Bangladesh's situation. According to him, attempts to build a narrative of oppression against Hindus began a few days after the Awami League fled power, and some Indian media tried to broadcast those claims. He maintained there is no scope for building such a narrative in Bangladesh.
The BJP chairman also acknowledged that restoring democracy is taking time. He said the Awami League destroyed the country's democracy during its 17 years in power, and it is taking the government time to come back from that. In his words, people have voted, the government has been elected and there is an opposition as well. He expressed belief that democracy will improve further and reach a better place.
On the question of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina returning to the country, Partho said only time will tell whether she returns. But in his view, that time has not yet come. Regarding Sheikh Hasina's announcement of returning to the country next December, he said the political context for her return has not been created.
He said people have not yet come out of the trauma of the killings and torture of the 2024 mass uprising, and that trauma and psychology remain. Therefore he does not consider Sheikh Hasina's announcement of returning to the country realistic in the current situation.
Leaders and activists of the Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) from Bhola district and local levels, along with its various affiliated organisations, were present during the mass contact programme. The information minister went to various people and inquired after them.
The information minister's tough stance has added a new dimension to the ongoing debate over the Awami League's political future. With the conditions of acknowledging July, apologising and punishing those responsible now stated clearly by a government minister, the question of the party's comeback is expected to remain under discussion in the days ahead.
