TDS Desk:

BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed has said the Awami League can no longer engage in politics under its current name in Bangladesh as people rejected its fascist politics through the July mass uprising.

Speaking at a discussion on Wednesday, he also called for the trial of the Awami League for its involvement in mass killings and crimes against humanity.

The Anchalik Sampadak Parishad organised the event titled “National Unity and Current Reality” at the Jatiya Press Club.

“We want to make it clear that the people of Bangladesh have rejected the fascist politics of the Awami League through the uprising of students and the masses, driving them out of the country. We are now raising the demand that the Awami League can no longer do politics in Bangladesh in the name of Awami League,” the BNP leader said.

He criticised the interim government for its failure to take necessary steps for the trial of the Awami League.

“We demand the trial of the Awami League as a political organisation for mass killings and crimes against humanity,” Salahuddin said.

He also said it should be determined through the judicial process whether the Awami League should be allowed to engage in politics in Bangladesh, or not.

The BNP leader said the people of Bangladesh want the Awami League’s fascist politics to be eliminated from the country. “You (govt) can take steps in this regard.

“On the one hand, you want to ban the Awami League, yet on the other hand, you won’t prosecute them, and further, you use the police to obstruct their political programmes. These are contradictions, and it is not right,” he observed.