Photo : Collected
Awami League leaders and activists are already basking in the joy of the upcoming Eid-u-Fitr as their party has assumed state power for the fourth time in a row. They say they will celebrate Eid with extra relief and comfort as their party formed the government after winning a challenging parliamentary election. They also say the Awami League came to power again because of the Sheikh Hasina magic.
According to them, if the Awami League did not come to power, most of the leaders and activists of the party and its associate organisations would not have been able to stay in their respective areas due to the BNP-Jamaat oppression, let alone celebrate Eid. General Secretary of Chhatra League Sheikh Wali Asif Inan told The Daily Messenger Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is enough to deal with all the challenges that lie ahead for the Awami League. “The Awami League came to power again with the Sheikh Hasina magic.
So, it is natural that party leaders and activists are more cheerful ahead of Eid,” he said. The 12th general election was held on January 7 this year. Before the election, several parties, including the BNP, had been holding anti government protests. They started the movement to demand elections under a neutral government. In addition, the United States had announced visa restrictions on those involved in obstructing free and fair elections in Bangladesh.
Not only the US but many other Western countries and organisations gave statements calling for free and fair polls. This somewhat worried Awami League leaders. Yet, the party stood firm in its position. It reiterated that elections would be held according to the constitution. The political context of the country began to change a few months before the election amid the face-off between the two big parties.
The BNP held big rallies and public meetings to press home its demands. Jamaat-e-Islami also held street programmes as the election neared. Both the Awami League and the BNP announced to hold rallies in Dhaka on October 28 last year. A policeman was killed in clashes that broke out between members of the parties over holding rallies. The residence of the chief justice was also attacked. After that, the BNP and Jamaat enforced continuous strikes and blockades.
Top leaders of the parties were arrested. After that, their activists could not hold street programmes due to strict police action, causing the anti-government movement to falter. In such a situation, the government was able to arrange elections without any big trouble, although the opposition parties made various complaints about voter turnout. Now the government is running the country without much opposition from the BNP, which is why Awami League leaders and activists are in a joyous mood as Eid is just a few days away.
Awami League's Relief and Social Welfare Affairs Secretary Aminul Islam told The Daily Messenger many of their leaders and activists would have left their respective areas in their hometowns due to the oppressive activities of the BNP-Jamaat if the Awami League did not come to power after the elections. “That has happened before. Considering that, our leaders and activists are in a cheerful mood this Eid,” he added.
Messenger/Fameema
