Govt monitoring what AL doing from outside Bangladesh: CA press secretary
He said they are looking into their [AL’s] activities to know whether they want to "create any instability" in the country
The government is monitoring what the Awami League is doing from outside the country as its activities are banned in the country, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said today (10 August).
"You know their activities are banned in Bangladesh. Definitely, we are monitoring what they are doing from outside the country," he said while responding to a question regarding AL's party office in Kolkata, as reported by BBC Bangla recently.
The press secretary said they are looking into their [AL's] activities to know whether they want to "create any instability" in the country.
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"We will be able to let you know if we can gather concrete information," Alam said during a media briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.
Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder and Director General (Public Diplomacy) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Shah Asif Rahman were present at the media briefing which was arranged to highlight Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus' engagements in Malaysia from 11 to 13 August.
In the bustling outskirts of Kolkata, a commercial complex has begun drawing unfamiliar visitors for the last few months.
According to a BBC Bangla report, the Awami League has set up a "party office" on the 8th floor of this complex.
In May this year, the interim government issued a gazette notification banning all activities of the Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated organisations under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) completes the trial of the party's leaders and activists.
According to the notification, all activities of the Awami League and its affiliated and like-minded organisations are prohibited until the ICT concludes the trial against their leaders and activists.
The notification mentioned that any form of publication, media engagement, online and social media campaigns, rallies, meetings, assemblies, and conferences organised by the Awami League or any of its affiliated bodies are strictly prohibited.
Earlier, in a special meeting, the Council of Advisers decided to ban all activities of the Awami League — including in cyberspace — under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the conclusion of the trial by the International Crimes Tribunal.
Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul said the decision was taken to safeguard the country's security and sovereignty, ensure the safety of the leaders and activists of the July movement, and protect the plaintiffs and witnesses involved in the tribunal proceedings.
