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Herald Malaysia
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Herald Malaysia
3 killed in Bangladesh after clashes in Hasina's hometown
Police clash with protesters after Awami League tries to block rally marking uprising anniversary Jul 17, 2025 Anti-riot police personnel patrol along a street ravaged with burning plastic chairs, allegedly vandalized by the Awami League party activists rebuking a rally by the newly formed National Citizen's Party, in Gopalganj on July 16. (photo: AFP) By AFP, Gopalganj At least three people were killed in Bangladesh on July 16 after clashes broke out between police and supporters of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, authorities clashes were triggered after members of Hasina's Awami League attempted to foil a rally by the National Citizen's Party (NCP), made up of many students who spearheaded the uprising last year. Three people were killed after police got involved, and 17 others sustained various injuries, including bullet wounds, said Monoj Baral, a nurse at the Gopalganj District Hospital. "One of the deceased was identified as Ramjan Sikdar. Families took away two other bodies," Baral said. Gopalganj authorities imposed a curfew in the district following the violence. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus termed the attempt to foil the NCP rally "a shameful violation of their fundamental rights." "This heinous act... will not go unpunished," a statement from his office said. The NCP was scheduled to hold the rally as part of their countrywide "July March" program to commemorate the uprising anniversary, local media reported. Gopalganj is a stronghold of the Awami League, as Sheikh Mujibur Rahman -- the founding president of Bangladesh -- hailed from this district, and Hasina also contested elections from this constituency. Hasnat Abdullah, an NCP coordinator, said those rallying took refuge at a police station after being attacked. "We don't feel safe at all. They threatened to burn us alive," Hasnat said. The NCP has called for a blockade in response to the
Express Tribune
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Ban on Awami League divides BD voters
The banning of fugitive ex-leader Sheikh Hasina's party offers a sliver of justice for Bangladeshis demanding she face trial for crimes against humanity but also raises concerns about the inclusivity of elections. "The government has taken the right decision," said Jahangir Alam, whose 19-year-old son was killed during the mass uprising that forced Hasina into exile in August 2024, ending the 15 years of iron-fisted control by her once all-powerful Awami League party. "Because of her, the Awami League is now ruined," Alam said, demanding Hasina return from India to comply with the arrest warrant on charges related to the crackdown that killed at least 1,400 protesters. "Who gave Sheikh Hasina the authority to kill my son?" said Alam, the father of Ibrahim Hossain Zahid, accusing 77-year-old Hasina of being a "mass murderer". "People used to hang Mujib's photo over their heads," he said. "Because of Sheikh Hasina's wrongdoing, that photo is now under our feet." Political fortunes rise and fall quickly in Bangladesh. Hasina's government was blamed for extensive human rights abuses and protesters demanded that the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus take action. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people last held elections in January 2024, when Hasina won a fourth term in the absence of genuine opposition parties. Yunus promises that inclusive elections will be held by June 2026 at the latest. Among those demanding the Awami League ban was the National Citizen's Party made up of many of the students who spearheaded last year's uprising. Others were supporters of the Hefazat-e-Islam group and Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist political party. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina's time in power and several of its leaders were tried and hanged. Unsurprisingly, its members were vocal supporters of the ban. The government banned the Awami League on May 12 after protests outside Yunus's home, pending the trial of Hasina. "The oppressed have begun becoming oppressors," said Latif Siddiqui, a veteran Awami League member and former minister, adding that the party was wider than Hasina alone. "She is not the whole Awami League," he said. "Many loved the party." Human Rights Watch issued stinging criticism on Thursday, warning that "imposing a ban on any speech or activity deemed supportive of a political party is an excessive restriction on fundamental freedoms that mirrors the previous government's abusive clampdown". However, political analyst Farhad Mazhar, an ideological guru for many student protesters, said the ban was required. "The democratic space may shrink, but the Awami League has shown no remorse," Mazhar said.
France 24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Ban on ousted ex-ruling party divides Bangladesh voters
"The government has taken the right decision," said Jahangir Alam, whose 19-year-old son was killed during the mass uprising that forced Hasina into exile in August 2024, ending the 15 years of iron-fisted control by her once all-powerful Awami League party. "Because of her, the Awami League is now ruined," Alam said, demanding Hasina return from India to comply with the arrest warrant on charges related to the crackdown that killed at least 1,400 protesters. "Who gave Sheikh Hasina the authority to kill my son?" said Alam, the father of Ibrahim Hossain Zahid, accusing 77-year-old Hasina of being a "mass murderer". Bangladesh's oldest political party played a key role in the country's liberation war from Pakistan in 1971 and was once led by Hasina's late father, the nation's founding figure, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "People used to hang Mujib's photo over their heads," he said. "Because of Sheikh Hasina's wrongdoing, that photo is now under our feet." 'Democratic space may shrink' Political fortunes rise and fall quickly in Bangladesh. Hasina's government was blamed for extensive human rights abuses and protesters demanded that the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus take action. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people last held elections in January 2024, when Hasina won a fourth term in the absence of genuine opposition parties. Yunus promises that inclusive elections will be held by June 2026 at the latest. Among those demanding the Awami League ban was the National Citizen's Party made up of many of the students who spearheaded last year's uprising. Others were supporters of the Hefazat-e-Islam group and Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist political party. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina's time in power and several of its leaders were tried and hanged. Unsurprisingly, its members were vocal supporters of the ban. The government banned the Awami League on May 12 after protests outside Yunus's home, pending the trial of Hasina. "The oppressed have begun becoming oppressors," said Latif Siddiqui, a veteran Awami League member and former minister, adding that the party was wider than Hasina alone. "She is not the whole Awami League," he said. "Many loved the party." Human Rights Watch issued stinging criticism on Thursday, warning that "imposing a ban on any speech or activity deemed supportive of a political party is an excessive restriction on fundamental freedoms that mirrors the previous government's abusive clampdown". However, political analyst Farhad Mazhar, an ideological guru for many student protesters, said the ban was required. "The democratic space may shrink, but the Awami League has shown no remorse," Mazhar said. 'Stripping the voting rights' However, Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader said that banning any party stifled democracy. "We believe in multi-party democracy," he said. His party had been close with the Awami League under Hasina, Quader said, but it had also opposed the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami. "We don't support banning any political party that... follows the rules," Quader said. Jamaat-e-Islami supported Islamabad during Bangladesh's independence war from Pakistan in 1971. Rivals now question if it, too, should be restricted for its historical role. "If the Awami League is banned for mass murder, then the question arises -- what will happen to those parties that were involved in genocide, directly or indirectly?" Quader said. "In the history of Bangladesh, the most people were killed during the Liberation War." The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely tipped to win the elections when they happen, has taken a more pragmatic approach. Key leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said there is no bar on former Awami League loyalists joining his party, so long as they had not previously worked to "suppress" the BNP. Regardless, the upcoming vote will now take place without what was one of Bangladesh's most popular parties. Mamun Al Mostofa, professor of political science at Dhaka University, pointed out the party had been "banned before and went through severe crises... but it made a comeback". Shahdeen Malik, a Supreme Court lawyer and constitutional expert, said a strong opposition helped support democracy. "AL had a vote bank of around 30 percent of the total electorate," Malik said, noting that Hasina escalated her grip on power after crushing opponents in the 2008 election. "Due to their atrocities, they may have lost some of that support -- but it is still unlikely to drop below 20 percent," he said.
Int'l Business Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Ban On Ousted Ex-ruling Party Divides Bangladesh Voters
The banning of fugitive ex-leader Sheikh Hasina's party offers a sliver of justice for Bangladeshis demanding she face trial for crimes against humanity but also raises concerns about the inclusivity of elections. "The government has taken the right decision," said Jahangir Alam, whose 19-year-old son was killed during the mass uprising that forced Hasina into exile in August 2024, ending the 15 years of iron-fisted control by her once all-powerful Awami League party. "Because of her, the Awami League is now ruined," Alam said, demanding Hasina return from India to comply with the arrest warrant on charges related to the crackdown that killed at least 1,400 protesters. "Who gave Sheikh Hasina the authority to kill my son?" said Alam, the father of Ibrahim Hossain Zahid, accusing 77-year-old Hasina of being a "mass murderer". Bangladesh's oldest political party played a key role in the country's liberation war from Pakistan in 1971 and was once led by Hasina's late father, the nation's founding figure, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "People used to hang Mujib's photo over their heads," he said. "Because of Sheikh Hasina's wrongdoing, that photo is now under our feet." Political fortunes rise and fall quickly in Bangladesh. Hasina's government was blamed for extensive human rights abuses and protesters demanded that the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus take action. The South Asian nation of some 170 million people last held elections in January 2024, when Hasina won a fourth term in the absence of genuine opposition parties. Yunus promises that inclusive elections will be held by June 2026 at the latest. Among those demanding the Awami League ban was the National Citizen's Party made up of many of the students who spearheaded last year's uprising. Others were supporters of the Hefazat-e-Islam group and Jamaat-e-Islami, the largest Islamist political party. Jamaat-e-Islami was banned during Hasina's time in power and several of its leaders were tried and hanged. Unsurprisingly, its members were vocal supporters of the ban. The government banned the Awami League on May 12 after protests outside Yunus's home, pending the trial of Hasina. "The oppressed have begun becoming oppressors," said Latif Siddiqui, a veteran Awami League member and former minister, adding that the party was wider than Hasina alone. "She is not the whole Awami League," he said. "Many loved the party." Human Rights Watch issued stinging criticism on Thursday, warning that "imposing a ban on any speech or activity deemed supportive of a political party is an excessive restriction on fundamental freedoms that mirrors the previous government's abusive clampdown". However, political analyst Farhad Mazhar, an ideological guru for many student protesters, said the ban was required. "The democratic space may shrink, but the Awami League has shown no remorse," Mazhar said. However, Jatiya Party chairman GM Quader said that banning any party stifled democracy. "We believe in multi-party democracy," he said. His party had been close with the Awami League under Hasina, Quader said, but it had also opposed the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami. "We don't support banning any political party that... follows the rules," Quader said. Jamaat-e-Islami supported Islamabad during Bangladesh's independence war from Pakistan in 1971. Rivals now question if it, too, should be restricted for its historical role. "If the Awami League is banned for mass murder, then the question arises -- what will happen to those parties that were involved in genocide, directly or indirectly?" Quader said. "In the history of Bangladesh, the most people were killed during the Liberation War." The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), widely tipped to win the elections when they happen, has taken a more pragmatic approach. Key leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury has said there is no bar on former Awami League loyalists joining his party, so long as they had not previously worked to "suppress" the BNP. Regardless, the upcoming vote will now take place without what was one of Bangladesh's most popular parties. Mamun Al Mostofa, professor of political science at Dhaka University, pointed out the party had been "banned before and went through severe crises... but it made a comeback". Shahdeen Malik, a Supreme Court lawyer and constitutional expert, said a strong opposition helped support democracy. "AL had a vote bank of around 30 percent of the total electorate," Malik said, noting that Hasina escalated her grip on power after crushing opponents in the 2008 election. "Due to their atrocities, they may have lost some of that support -- but it is still unlikely to drop below 20 percent," he said. "Stripping the voting rights of this 20 percent won't benefit anyone." Interim Bangladesh leader Muhammad Yunus has promised inclusive elections will be held by June 2026, but the party of ousted ex-leader Sheikh Hasina has been banned AFP Former Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina fled into exile in India after her government was toppled by widespread, student-led protests AFP
New Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Thousands rally in Bangladesh seeking ban on former PM's party
DHAKA: Thousands of people rallied on Friday outside the residence of Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus, demanding he ban the political party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus, 84, has led an interim government since Hasina was overthrown by student-led mass protests in August 2024 and fled into exile as crowds stormed her palace. Friday's rally came after the sudden departure of Abdul Hamid, a former leader of Hasina's Awami League party, from Bangladesh early Thursday. A crowd, mainly made up of young people, had started gathering outside Yunus' residence on Thursday night. Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organiser of the newly formed National Citizen's Party, said the demonstration would continue until their demands were met. "Sheikh Hasina robbed the people of Bangladesh of their democratic rights. She manipulated the system to prevent any real opposition from participating in the election," Kamrul said. 'We saw Abdul Hamid leave the country safely. The actions of certain advisers are highly suspicious. The delay in justice appears to be part of a broader plan to bring back the fallen dictator and her party,' he added.
