Bangladesh: Hasina’s Awami League announced a rally, “Interim government said – Fascists will not be allowed to do this”

Dhaka: The interim government got angry when former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League called for a rally against the current government in Dhaka. The current government has refused to allow the rally in Bangladesh, calling the Awami League ‘fascist’. The government said that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League will not be allowed to organize the proposed rally on Sunday. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’ press secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a Facebook post that the interim government will not tolerate any kind of violence or any attempt to disrupt law and order in the country.

Yunus said, “The Awami League in its current form is a fascist party. Under no circumstances will this fascist party be allowed to hold protests in Bangladesh.” Alam warned that “anyone who tries to hold rallies, meetings and processions taking orders from mass murderer and dictator Sheikh Hasina will have to face the full brunt of law enforcement agencies.” Alam’s statement came after the Awami League called on its verified Facebook page urging party supporters to gather at Shahid Nur Hossain Chattar or Zero Point in Gulistan on Sunday to protest against “misrule”.

Hasina had to leave the country on 5 August. 

Hasina fled to India on August 5 amid a massive student-led uprising against her government. This is the first rally call by the Awami League after she left for India. The Awami League has urged party workers to hold grassroots rallies across the country on Sunday in line with the “spirit of the call” as described in a Facebook post. The protest site ‘Shaheed Noor Hossain Chattar’ holds historical significance as it was here that Awami League youth leader Noor Hossain was killed on November 10, 1987, during a demonstration against the autocratic rule of then-military dictator Gen HM Ershad.