Bangladesh nowadays is in a terrible political, cultural, and administrative crisis because it is ruled by those who have no public basis, no constitutional legitimacy, and no mandate, the Awami League has said, calling for rebuilding the nation.
โConspiracy is going on in the name of politics, exploitation is going on in the name of rule, and occupation is going on in the name of government,โ the party said in a social media post on Friday.
โNot revenge, Awami League will rescue the nation from the darkness of illegal rule,โ it said.
Highlighting the plans, the party said that the return of the Awami League means complete reconstruction of national institutions, reestablishment of the independence of the judiciary, ensuring the evaluation of merit in the administration, and restoration of the spirit of the Liberation War in education, culture, and economy.
On June 16, leaders and activists of the Dhaka Metropolitan Unit of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations brought out processions in Shahbagh, College Gate, Kamrangirchar, and Kadamtali of Dhaka, and Manikganj, Rajshahi, and Chittagong outside the capital.
The programme was announced on June 13, demanding the resignation of the fascist Yunus-led government and stopping the farcical trial of the Awami League leaders at the International Crimes Tribunal.
Members of the Awami League, Krishak League, Jubo League, and Chhatra League participated in the processions, defying the ban on party activities. They chanted โJoy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu,โ which drew support from the locals.
The mainstream media continued ignoring the Awami Leagueโs statements and protest marches on Monday.
The party will hold a virtual discussion meeting on June 23 to commemorate its founding anniversary. Additionally, the party will distribute food and clothes to those in need.
Protests will be held in divisional cities across the country on June 24, at all organisational district levels on July 1, and at upazila and union levels on July 16.
Misrule of the Yunus govt
The Awami League, which turns 76 on June 23, deplored the brutal picture of illegitimate rule, when journalists are being sent to jail, freedom of speech is being suppressed, disappearances, murders, harassment, and false cases are now tools to control the opposition, universities have become hotbeds of militancy, teachers are forced to resign, and the shadow of fundamentalism and division is seen in culture and sports.
Distorting history is the most dangerous conspiracy, the party said. โToday, the flag, map, and history of the Liberation War of Bangladesh are targeted. They are creating a distorted history to make future generations forget who brought independence, who suffered martyrdom, and who built the country.
โTo free the country from the hands of this occupying force, the Awami League will have to face the test of history again. However, this return is not for revenge but to fulfill the historical responsibility of rescuing the nation.โ
The Awami League is no longer just a political partyโit is a symbol of defending the state, the bearer of the Liberation War, and the foundation of Bengali identity, the Facebook post said.
Urging the pro-liberation people to join hands, the Awami League said that if the Awami League does not take to the streets today, the anti-liberation clique will celebrate victory tomorrow. โIf we do not take to the streets today to defend the state, then history will lose its own language, flag, and pride.โ
Those who love Bangabandhu, who want to protect independence and sovereignty, and who are against militancy, fundamentalism, and distortion of history should take to the streets. โThis is no longer just politics; this is a war to protect the existence of the country.
โNow is the time; if we don’t wake up tomorrow, it will be too late. Let’s raise our voices, take to the streets, and save the country in the spirit of the Liberation War.โ
Monthlong programme
Awami League President, five-time Prime Minister, and Bangabandhuโs daughter, Sheikh Hasina, expressed heartfelt gratitude to party leaders and activists for the successful implementation of the protest programme, overcoming the brutal repression, torture, and extreme obstacles imposed by the illegal fascist occupying Yunus regime.
In a statement issued on June 16, Sheikh Hasina said that there is no form of state terror that is not being used. Rather, new and inhumane methods of cruelty are being inflicted daily.
She issued a stern warning against the anti-national and anti-people regime and its collaborators. They will face justice on the soil of Bangladesh for the extreme injustices and persecution against the Awami League.
Sheikh Hasina also deplored that Awami League leaders and activists are being arrested, sued, and having their homes looted. The police are failing to act against killers and looters, instead targeting Awami League members.
She said that the party has collected the names of 474 deceased leaders and activists.
At least 137,000 Awami League leaders, activists, journalists, intellectuals, professionals, and freedom fighters are currently in prison, according to Sheikh Hasina.
Approximately 80,000 cases naming over 5,00,000 leaders and activists have been filed, a โworld recordโ by Yunus.