Awami League has returned to Bangladesh’s political landscape: Ex-adviser Mahfuj
"The AL is a theology before it is a political party, and faith in that theology has returned," he said.
The Awami League, whose activities were banned after the 2024 July Uprising, has effectively returned to Bangladesh's political landscape, Mahfuj Alam, former information and broadcasting adviser to the interim government has alleged.
In a Facebook post yesterday (19 May), he said, "The AL is a theology before it is a political party, and faith in that theology has returned. Today I will tell the story of how it returned."
In the post, Mahfuj also presented a long list explaining how the Awami League had, in his view, made its comeback.
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He wrote, "AL came back the day 2024 was positioned against 1971 by anti-independence forces. It came back the day members of the interim government started working to facilitate the rise of the right wing. It came back the day the oppressed of the past 17 years found joy in mob rule instead of the rule of law."
Mahfuj also said, "AL came back the day extremists attacked shrines and drove dissenters out of mosques. It came back the day the oppressed remained silent about the persecution of Hindus. AL came back the day people who believed in secular values became afraid of a state-sponsored rise of the right wing. It came back the day mobsters were turned into heroes in this country. Safe spaces were created for extremists."
The former adviser believes various actions of the interim government played a role.
He said, "The party came back the day the people were alienated and disappointed in the name of minimal reforms and consensus commissions instead of systemic abolition. It came back the day the interim government embraced Jamaat to counter BNP and others opposing the government."
Mahfuj further wrote, "AL came back the day students failed to transform into a revolutionary organisation and instead became lumpen-style clubs and mobs. It came back the day attacks on media and cultural institutions were orchestrated. It came back the day the interim government shifted from being political to bureaucratic, with decisions being made by a bureaucratic kitchen cabinet."
"Most members of that kitchen cabinet were covert loyalists of Jamaat, BNP, or AL itself, for whom July meant protecting the interests of their families, future generations, and institutions," he said.
Listing more reasons behind the AL's return, Mahfuj said, "The party came back the day authoritarian group culture triumphed over democracy on campuses. It came back the day the kitchen cabinet united to obstruct approval for new media outlets.
"AL came back the day the July declaration and charter process was handed over to bureaucracy and vested interest groups. It came back the day the oppressed rejoiced when leftists and Shahbagh activists were beaten."
The former adviser further said, "The party came back the day regressive cultural systems like qawwali and revolutionary culture were used to counter Bengali nationalism. It came back the day reforms and justice were compromised through electoral bargaining and turned into bargaining tools for BNP and Jamaat."
"AL came back the day commissions, tribunals, universities, and other institutions were turned into bargaining tools for ideological groups seeking power. It came back the day those who stood with us culturally and intellectually during the July Uprising were sidelined, while people with zero contribution and hidden loyalties were empowered," he added.
