Awami League ban 'universally accepted', says press secretary
“This decision was made after discussions with all parties. There was global support for banning the Awami League. Since the announcement, the entire nation has breathed a sigh of relief,” he said
The decision to ban activities of the Awami League has been "universally accepted", said Shafiqul Alam, press secretary to the chief adviser, claiming the move brought relief to the people of Bangladesh.
"This decision was made after discussions with all parties. There was global support for banning the Awami League. Since the announcement, the entire nation has breathed a sigh of relief," he said.
He made this remark while addressing a 'Meet the Reporters' event organised by the Dhaka Reporters' Unity today (12 May), reports Bangla Tribune.
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Calling the ban on the party "universally accepted", Shafiqul Alam said, "Everyone has accepted it. There may be a few parties with differing views, but that doesn't change anything."
He went on to justify the decision by citing serious human rights violations committed by the Awami League.
"According to a UN report, 1,400 people were killed in the July-August period, though our own figures are much higher. The extent of looting, killings, and enforced disappearances carried out by the Awami League is staggering," he said.
"Around 3,500 people were forcibly disappeared. People were taken away and brutally punished in 'Aynaghar'. Even children weren't spared. They stripped people of all their rights. That is the main reason for the ban," he added.
In response to a question on whether the decision was taken in haste, Alam said, "The UN Human Rights Commission published a report on the Awami League government's repression during the July-August movement. It clearly shows the scale of killings and enforced disappearances. There was global support for the ban. After the decision, the entire country has breathed a sigh of relief. The move was made only after holding talks with all parties."
Asked if similar action would be taken against other parties like the 14-Party Alliance or Jatiya Party, he responded, "The UN report has clear evidence of human rights violations committed by the Awami League. The roles of other parties were not highlighted in the same way. All the killings and disappearances happened on Sheikh Hasina's orders. So the Awami League is clearly responsible."
