NCP-Hefazat in unison over AL’s trial, ban

Staff Reporter :

The National Citizens’ Party (NCP) and Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh have reached a consensus on demanding that the Awami League be tried as a political party for committing genocide, and that the party be banned from all political and organizational activities until the trial is completed.

They also agreed on declaring the Awami League a terrorist organization. The meeting took place around 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, at NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka.

Senior leaders from both NCP and Hefazat attended the meeting, which was held at the initiative of Hefazat-e-Islam. The two sides came to an agreement on their position regarding the Awami League. Previously, Hefazat had also held a meeting with the BNP.

Representing Hefazat at the meeting were the organisation’s Secretary General Maulana Sajedur Rahman, Senior Joint Secretary General Maulana Junaid Al Habib, Joint Secretary General Maulana Mamunul Haque, Maulana Azizul Haque Islamabadi, Nayeb-e-Ameer Ahmad Abdul Quader, Maulana Ahmed Ali Qasemi, and Maulana Mohiuddin Rabbani.

From NCP’s side, Convener Nahid Islam, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Chief Organizer Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib, Joint Convener Ashraf Uddin Mahadi, and organizers Md. Sanaullah and Rafiqul Islam Aini were present.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, NCP’s Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam said, “There was a consensus in the meeting on trying the Awami League as a party for genocide, banning its political and organizational activities until justice is served, launching visible efforts to bring it to trial before the next election, and declaring the Awami League a terrorist organization.”

However, he mentioned that there was no discussion about the upcoming election.
According to sources present at the meeting, Hefazat leaders also emphasized the need for a united effort to withdraw the false and harassing cases filed against religious scholars and opposition activists during the Awami League’s rule.

They also discussed the upcoming grand rally of Hefazat-e-Islam scheduled for May 3 in Dhaka, where the group will demand justice for enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the brutal crackdown at Shapla Chattar on May 5, 2013, as well as the withdrawal of all related cases.

In addition, Hefazat and NCP exchanged views on their respective reform proposals during the meeting.