The interim government will not issue permissions for the series of demonstrations Awami League has called next month, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a facebook post on Wednesday.
The press secretary placed three conditions for the former ruling party to secure permissions to demonstrate: the party must apologise for its mass corruption activities and mass killings perpetrated during its 15-year illegal stay in power, criminal party members must surrender before the law, and non-culpable party members must sever ties with its current fascist ideology and fascist leadership.
The interim government represents the people of Bangladesh and will not allow any attempt to push the country back into the days of violence. Anyone taking to streets in support of Awami League’s unpermitted movement will have to face the law, he Shafiqul Alam warned.
To dispel any notion of the government’s potential crackdown on dissent, Shafiqul clarified authorities have permitted over a hundred protest movements since assuming power about six months ago. The government has not banned any logical protest movement, the press secretary said referring to a media report on over 136 protest movements waged in the capital alone over the last five and a half months.
Late into Tuesday, Awami League’s facebook page announced protest activities throughout February: leaflet distributions during 1-5 February, protest rallies on 6 and 10 February, a blockade movement on 16 February and a dawn-to-dusk hartal on 18 February.
The demonstrations will be held to press home the party’s demand for the resignation of the "illegal and unconstitutional fascist" interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
The AL called for an end to arbitrary arrests, filing of politically motivated cases, and financial scandals.
The party also warned that if authorities attempt to obstruct these demonstrations, tougher programmes will be announced.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
