Awami League became bankrupt after 2014: Mahfuj Alam
NN ONLINE:
Information and Broadcasting Adviser Md. Mahfuj Alam today said that the Awami League faced insolvency or bankrupt subsequent to the year 2014.
“Despite the party’s organizational size, its internal viability had been severely undermined,” he said this while speaking as the special guest at a book unveiling ceremony at a hotel in the city. The book title ‘Agnijara Barsha (Fiery Monsoon)’ was unveiled at the end of ‘Economic Reform Summit 2025’.
Voice for Reform, BRAIN, Fintech Society, INNOVISION and Nagorik Coalition organized the two-day summit. In his speech, Mahfuj Alam acknowledged that the July Uprising has presented a golden opportunity for reform.
However, he emphasized that comprehensive change has been promised and attempted by previous administrations-including after the 1990 political change, and under the military-backed caretaker regime. The information adviser asserted that the central issue today is not simply implementing good policies, but rather addressing the structural problems that have persisted.
“The political goal is not just reform or changing institution names or designations. Instead, the objective is the abolition of the system and creating a new political arrangement,” he added. He confirmed that this comprehensive approach was deliberately integrated into the ‘one-point demand’.
“During discussions on the night of the July, the demand was insisted upon to include not only Hasina’s downfall but also the specific terminology: the downfall of Hasina and the abolition of the system, alongside the call for a new political arrangement,” he added.
The adviser concluded that a national consensus should support political leaders, allowing them to lead the process of taking the state to a better place.
He emphasized the need for honesty among political parties and the populace regarding where they wish to lead the nation, secured by the blood of the July martyrs. BNP Media Cell member Mahmuda Habiba and National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Organizer (Southern region) Hasnat Abdullah also spoke at the book unveiling ceremony.
Mahmuda Habiba, who also serves as Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Krishak Dal, called for continued solidarity concerning an unspecified but historically significant event referred to simply as “July.” “The relevance of this period is directly tied to the attendees’ cooperation. July will only survive as long as we stay together,” she added.
In his speech, Hasnat Abdullah highlighted the critical need to meticulously document the history of the political struggle spanning from 2013 through July 2024. “This documentation is essential to resist the widespread distortion and weaponization of history by those in power,” he added.
He urged that history should be written from multiple perspectives to provide the public with a course of action that seems relevant and just. Furthermore, he lamented that national tragedies often end up being converted into propaganda.
In terms of the current political status, he agreed with Mahfuj Alam’s assessment that the Awami League is a dead chapter. This political entity was likened to a dead elephant, making it easy for various parties to now kick it, he added. Despite the political status quo, he warned that maintaining unity is crucial. “If various groups become fragmented, the political difficulties will return,” he added. He stressed that unity is achievable, even while preserving different political and religious beliefs, provided the focus remains on national interest and betterment.