Dhaka, March 21, 2025 — In a striking statement, Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organiser (South) of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has accused the Bangladesh Army of pressuring political figures to allow the return of the Awami League in political landscape. The remarks were made in a Facebook post, where Abdullah described a covert political maneuver involving India and the military to facilitate the Awami League's comeback.

Read the post here: https://archive.ph/0tl5x

On Thursday, Professor Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Advisor to the interim government, clarified that there were no plans to ban the Awami League. During a meeting with a delegation from the International Crisis Group, Yunus said that while certain leaders of the Awami League are accused of crimes including murder and crimes against humanity, they would face trial in Bangladesh’s courts. He assured that the interim government would not move to outlaw the party.

Abdullah’s post, however, paints a very different picture. He recounted an unsettling meeting on March 11 at 2:30 PM, where he and two other political figures were presented with a proposal from military representatives in the cantonment. According to Abdullah, the military suggested a political deal in exchange for seat agreements, urging the NCP to support the rehabilitation of the Awami League. He claimed that multiple political parties had already agreed, under certain conditions, to support the Awami League's return to the political landscape.

“This plan is entirely India’s, and figures such as Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Shirin Sharmin, and Taposh are being set up to lead this so-called ‘refined Awami League’,” Abdullah wrote. He elaborated that the proposed strategy was for the Awami League to admit to crimes committed by the Sheikh family, deny the current leadership, and promise to return to the political roots of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding leader of Bangladesh.

The NCP leader firmly opposed the plan, calling instead for a focus on the prosecution of the Awami League leaders rather than their political revival. In a heated exchange during the meeting, Abdullah and his colleagues were warned that obstructing the Awami League’s return would lead to a national crisis, with the military representatives emphasizing that the party "must come back."

“How can you forgive a party that has not yet apologized or acknowledged its crimes?” Abdullah asked. The response, according to him, was blunt: “You people know nothing. You lack wisdom and experience. We’ve been in this service for at least forty years, longer than your age. Without the Awami League, there can be no inclusive elections.”

Abdullah remained resolute, responding, “There can be no inclusivity with Awami League. If they come back, it will be over our dead bodies. If the Awami League’s return is attempted, the responsibility for the ensuing crisis will lie with you.”

Abdullah’s post concluded with a call to the people of Bangladesh to unite against what he termed an Indian-backed conspiracy to rehabilitate the Awami League. He emphasized that there could be no compromise on banning the party, adding, “As long as we have blood in our bodies, we will not let the blood of our martyrs go to waste. After August 5, there will be no room for Awami League’s return in Bangladesh.”

The accusations, while alarming, are part of an ongoing political battle in Bangladesh as the country grapples with a polarized political landscape.