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Download PDF Awami League (AL) faces a dilemma of whether or not to participate in the ninth parliamentary election after a signal from the government that its detained chief Sheikh Hasina might be convicted of graft.
Besides, it has yet to decide what it would do if she is not sent abroad for treatment immediately.
This all has left the party confused about whether to join the proposed dialogue with the military-backed caretaker administration.
Recently, some AL leaders were conveyed the message that the government would not show any ‘leniency’ towards Hasina and Khaleda Zia, former prime ministers in detention.
Talking to The Daily Star in return for anonymity, a senior leader yesterday admitted receiving the message from ‘influential quarters’.
He said the government is clearly reluctant to release the AL president or send her to the US for ear treatment.
He said, “We are now indeed in a dilemma about what should be our plan of action for the coming days.
Everything will be decided at the party’s central working committee meeting.”
Though acting AL president Zillur Rahman has been saying that they would not take part in the election without Hasina, neither the Central working Committee or Presidium has taken any such decision.
Insiders said some members of the presidium, the highest policy-making body, are in favour of participating in the election even if Hasina ends up being convicted.
They believe freeing her would not be a problem if they could form government after winning the general election, supposed to be held by the year-end as per the Election Commission’s roadmap.
Against this backdrop, the presidium was supposed to meet yesterday to work out ways to deal with the situation. But the meeting was postponed at the last moment citing illness of acting general secretary Syed Ashraful Islam.
Earlier, the AL chief had instructed her party colleagues to take part in the election no matter how things turn out. She asked them to maintain a pro-election stance so that the unelected government could not stay in power for an indefinite period.
Hasina, who has been detained since July 16 last year also asked her party’s acting general secretary to remain alert so that no-one could do excess using her name that could foil or delay the election.
Under the circumstances, the AL leaders are looking to instructions from Hasina, now admitted to Square Hospital.
Talking to The Daily Star, some of the leaders said the reason for Zillur’s present hard-line stance is to press the government at least to send Hasina to the US for treatment.
After its recent meetings with advisers to the caretaker government and influential quarters, the AL has been repeatedly calling for the government to arrange overseas treatment for its chief. But it has not received any positive response which might push the party towards launching a movement for Hasina’s release, said sources.
Home Adviser Maj Gen (retd) MA Matin’s recent remarks that the government is not thinking about sending Hasina abroad for treatment have only hardened the pro-movement sentiment among the party’s rank and file.
Talking to reporters at his Gulshan residence, Zillur Rahman said it is not possible to participate in the election with Hasina still behind bars. Besides, he added, they won’t go to any election in the state of emergency.
The acting AL chief said, “The charges against the leader [Hasina] are baseless, false and fabricated. Then why should she be convicted?”
Zillur said they have a plan for countrywide mass hunger strike next week to free Hasina. The presidium will meet soon to finalise the programmes including the hunger strike, he added.
Over the planned formal dialogue between the government and political parties, he said, “Whether we will sit with the government needs to be discussed at presidium meeting.”
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