On Friday, Bangladesh's caretaker government announced that it would make a "quick decision" on whether to ban the Awami League, the party of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
This statement from the interim government office of chief Professor Muhammad Yunus followed an overnight demonstration by activists of the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), who organized a rally outside Yunus's official residence, demanding the dissolution of Hasina's party.
The NCP, a student group that had spearheaded demonstrations that resulted in the removal of Hasina on August 5, had since its inception earlier this year. Yunus took power on August 8, following the removal of Hasina.
The government is serious about the recent demands from various political parties, organizations, and citizens to disband the Awami League, following charges of autocratic behavior and terrorist activities," an interim government statement said. The government also revealed that it had been in talks with other political parties and would take a speedy decision after consulting them.
The NCP had set up a temporary stage near Yunus's residence, 'Jamuna,' late Thursday night. Activists had gathered there, and some led Friday prayers there. Leaders from other Islamist parties, such as Jamaat-e-Islam, its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Hefazat-e-Islam, joined the rally arranged by the NCP on Friday as well.
The government appealed for restraint and patience until a decision is taken and further stated that it had already disbanded the Chhatra League, which it had declared as a "terrorist" outfit, a party suspected of having Awami League links.
We have started our movement. This will be a one-day, or one-month, campaign, perhaps. We have to remain on the street until Awami League is banned," asserted Sarjis Alam, an NCP leader, at the rally.
The protest also included anti-Awami League slogans. Abul Hasnat Abdullah, a top NCP leader, had already initiated a sit-in protest in front of Yunus's residence with some supporters, later joined by Nahid Islam and others.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main political opposition to Awami League, has avoided the call for prohibition of any political party, emphasizing its opposition to such moves.
Currently, almost all the important Awami League personalities such as Hasina are either in prison or in hiding both within and outside the country. Since its inception, the NCP has stood on the platform of the split of Hasina's party. The former prime minister, suspected to be living in India, and other Awami League heavyweights have several cases pending against them in Bangladeshi courts.
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