Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed yesterday said the “fascist Awami forces” that fled Bangladesh following the mass uprising would never return.
In a statement in parliament under Rule 300, he said law enforcers would take necessary measures during operations, exercising their right of private defence.
He called for national unity against attempts to destabilise the country and sought cooperation from opposition parties, other political parties and citizens to improve public security.
He said programmes announced from across the border, whether protests, strikes or otherwise, aimed to create instability.
“To resist the fallen fascist forces, uproot them completely and prevent the implementation of any of their programmes or conspiracies, national unity is essential above all else.”
“The Nazis could not return to Germany or engage in politics again. Likewise, the fascist Awami forces that fled during the mass uprising will never be able to return to Bangladesh,” he said.
Salahuddin recalled that the opposition leader had declared at a programme in Dhaka on September 3, 2024, that his party would not file cases against those who had politically oppressed its members.
He agreed with the opposition leader that recent unrest had been instigated from across the border, saying he had repeatedly made similar remarks.
He alleged that the public was aware of secret meetings between senior leaders of a political party and representatives of foreign organisations in Dhaka.
He further alleged that the fugitive former leader had repeatedly instructed party leaders in audio calls from across the border to identify July uprising participants and attack their homes, but said such an opportunity was unlikely to arise.
Salahuddin said the government would never turn law enforcement agencies into partisan forces. Despite attacks on officers, he claimed, they had refrained from violating human rights.
“But it seems the fallen fascist forces have started taking advantage of this restraint. They are exploiting our respect for human rights,” he said, pledging to uphold the government’s commitments and thwart conspiracies and sabotage while respecting human rights.
He also accused the fallen forces and their domestic allies of inciting workers and turning labour grievances into protests, saying the government had taken effective measures.
During an unscheduled discussion, Opposition Leader Shafiqur Rahman said he had heard similar claims about improvements in law and order throughout his 52 years in politics.
Shafiqur, also the Jamaat ameer, welcomed Salahuddin’s commitment to unity against fascism but questioned his “suggestive remarks”.
“It has also been said that a particular political party has an understanding with a foreign intelligence agency. If that is what he meant, then he should clarify which party he is referring to,” he said.
Apparently referring to Prime Minister’s Political Assistant Rashed Khan, Shafiqur accused him of repeatedly criticising Jamaat.
“I state clearly that we have no history of meeting any foreign intelligence agency. Why would we meet intelligence agencies? We are a political party,” he said, adding that his party met political opponents and friends, not intelligence agencies.
He alleged that his party’s accusers had themselves met foreign agencies at home and abroad.
Claiming he had been misquoted at a previous press conference, Shafiqur said, “I never said that the Awami League had been forgiven. Throughout my entire 22-minute speech, I did not mention the Awami League even once, not even by mistake. The full video is still available and anyone can verify it.”
Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/news/politics/news/fascist-awami-forces-will-never-return-4321656
