Part of broader campaign by illegitimate govt: Awami League on charges against its leaders

Dhaka, Aug 3 The Bangladesh Awami League on Sunday denounced the charges brought against its leadership, calling them a "politically motivated" move orchestrated by the Muhammad Yunus-led "illegitimate" interim government.

Awami League leader Mohammad A. Arafat stated that neither former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina nor him have received any formal notice of the trial proceedings against the party members, which he said, highlights the "absurdity" of the "unelected" government.

"This is part of a broader campaign by an unelected usurper heading an illegitimate government, intent on erasing democratic legitimacy, silencing opposition, and clinging to power. Such a regime has no legal or moral authority to prosecute a government elected by the people's mandate. An illegitimate regime cannot amend legislation passed by Parliament. Only Parliament has that authority," Arafat said in a statement.

The party's statement comes after a Bangladeshi court on July 31 brought charges against Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and several others in connection with six cases over alleged corruption under the Purbachal New Town project. The court also issued arrest warrants against them and fixed August 13 to record the testimonies of prosecution witnesses.

The party leader called the events that happened in July last year "tragic and chaotic" and said that the law enforcement responded to escalating mob violence with the tools available.

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He said that no democratically elected leader should be "prosecuted for upholding constitutional duties in the face of violent insurrection."

Arafat called the charges of abetment, incitement and complicity "baseless" and said that these were based on testimony from "compromised figures and unauthenticated audio clips."

The party leader mentioned that the Hasina government had initiated an independent inquiry to understand the root of the "criminal acts," but the investigation was "later dismantled by the current regime."

He also claimed that this is not the only investigation that the Yunus regime has cast aside. "During the 1971 War of Independence, collaborators committed atrocities: mass killings, rape, arson, looting. The International Crimes (Tribunals) Act of 1973 was passed by Parliament to prosecute these crimes. Yet the interim government has halted these trials and is instead using powers outside its jurisdiction to bring fabricated and politically motivated cases against its political rivals," he said.

Arafat said that the Tribunal's rejection of defence submissions and its fast-tracked indictments "expose this process as a political show trial." He also described the amendments to the ICT Act, which he claims are politically motivated, as an "abuse of power, designed to target a specific political party and undermine democratic rights."

"Even issuing contempt rulings over unverifiable audio clips shows how the judicial process is being weaponised against the Prime Minister."

The Awami League leader claimed that it was Sheikh Hasina who had initiated the prosecution of war criminals; however, those who once backed these criminals are now leading the tribunals.

"This blatant conflict of interest makes a fair trial impossible. This is an assault on Bangladesh's democratic institutions. The interim regime has banned our party, silenced millions, and trampled due process to cement its grip on power. Its agenda is clear: eliminate dissent and erase the Awami League from politics," he added.

Arafat urged the international community to recognise the Tribunal as "a tool to criminalise political opposition and rewrite lawful governance as criminality."

The party leader also said that he welcomes an impartial, international investigation into all acts of violence before, during, and after July 2024, including "ongoing political killings ignored by this regime."

"Justice must never be selective. History will judge those who destroy democracy in the name of law," he added.

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