AL reconciliation? ‘but on what basis?’
Information and Broadcasting Adviser to the Prime Minister Zahed Ur Rahman has said reconciliation could be pursued with Awami League leaders and activists who remain in Bangladesh, but questioned the basis on which such reconciliation would take place.
Calling reconciliation “a good idea”, he said acknowledgement of wrongdoing and remorse would be essential conditions for any such process.
“It is not a bad idea, it is a good idea. It would have been good if this happened. But what is the basic condition for reconciliation? On what basis does reconciliation happen?” he said.
The adviser made the remarks on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists at a regular press briefing at the Secretariat on the government’s activities.
Zahed said discussions on reconciliation had continued since August 5, 2024, but the issue remained difficult amid what he described as continued threats from the Awami League, whose political activities remain banned.
He said a section of the population still supports the Awami League, referring specifically to those who remain in Bangladesh rather than party leaders and activists who have fled the country.
“Among those who are in this country, a certain percentage of people, we can debate the percentage but I am not going into that debate, still support the Awami League. So they are citizens of this country,” he said.
He said reconciliation with these people, including those who were actively involved with the party, could be considered.
However, he stressed that the process could not begin without addressing what he described as its fundamental conditions.
The adviser alleged that the Awami League itself was not seeking reconciliation.
“They are not seeking it. Reconciliation has to be sought by them,” he said.
Referring to the party’s leadership, Zahed said he was surprised by what he described as continued threats and statements of retaliation.
“Since the 5th, we have been watching with great surprise that the leader of that party is still blaming and threatening us,” he said.
He added that the party’s leadership had repeatedly threatened to take action against its opponents and seek retaliation.
Zahed urged anyone interested in reconciliation to approach the Awami League directly.
“If anyone from the middle wants reconciliation, if they feel it is good, and I also think it is good, they should contact the Awami League and talk to them,” he said.
The adviser’s comments came a day after discussions at the “Bay of Bengal Conversation”, organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) at a Dhaka hotel.
Participants at the event stressed that reconciliation was necessary alongside trials for crimes, arguing that society would remain deeply divided without both justice and reconciliation.
They also emphasised the need for justice and accountability for crimes committed during the Liberation War, violence in the Hill Tracts and the July mass uprising, while stressing that reconciliation was equally important.
