#khaleda zia release

[globaltrendingnews247]

Khaleda Zia is being released

President Md. Sahabuddin said that a decision has been taken regarding the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. 

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[beardedmrbean]

Bangladesh's parliament has been dissolved, a day after prime minister Sheikh Hasina was forced from power.

Ms Hasina resigned and fled the country after weeks of student-led protests spiralled into deadly unrest.

The dissolution of parliament, a key demand of protesters, paves the way for establishing an interim government.

Bangladeshis are waiting to see what comes next, as the country's military chief is holding talks with political leaders and protest organisers.

According to local media, more than 100 people died in violent clashes across Bangladesh on Monday, the single deadliest day since mass demonstrations began.

Hundreds of police stations were also torched, with the Bangladesh Police Service Association (BPSA) declaring a strike "until the security of every member of the police is secure".

The group also sought to place the blame at the door of authorities, saying they were "forced to fire".

Overall, more than 400 people are believed to have died, as protests were met with harsh repression by government forces.

The protests began in early July with peaceful demands from university students to abolish quotas in civil service jobs, but snowballed into a broader anti-government movement.

Weeks of unrest culminated in the storming of the prime minister's official residence, not long after Ms Hasina had fled to neighbouring India, ending nearly 15 years of rule.

Bangladeshi leaders are under pressure to establish an interim government to avoid a power vacuum that could lead to further clashes.

Within hours of her resignation, Bangladesh's army chief Gen Waker-uz-Zaman pledged that an interim administration would be formed, adding on state television that "it is time to stop the violence".

Student leaders have been clear they will not accept a military-led government, pushing for Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to become the interim government's chief adviser.

Mr Yunus, who agreed to take up the role, said: “When the students who sacrificed so much are requesting me to step in at this difficult juncture, how can I refuse?”

He is returning to Dhaka from Paris, where he is undergoing a minor medical procedure, according to his spokesperson.

Meanwhile, ex-prime minister and key opposition leader Khaleda Zia was released from years of house arrest, a presidential statement said.

She chairs the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which boycotted elections in 2014 and again in 2024, saying free and fair elections were not possible under Ms Hasina.

The BNP wanted the polls to be held under a neutral caretaker administration. This has now become a possibility after the departure of Ms Hasina, who had always rejected this demand.

Ms Zia, 78, served as prime minister of Bangladesh from 1991 to 1996, but was imprisoned in 2018 for corruption, although she said the charges were politically motivated.

She was not the only opposition figure to be released after years of detention.

Activist Ahmad Bin Quasem was also released from detention, according to his lawyer Michael Polak.

Rights groups say Mr Quasem was taken away by security forces in 2016, just one of hundreds of forced disappearances in the country under Ms Hasina's rule.

"There were many points during his detention that he was feared dead, and the uncertainty was one of the many tools of repression utilised by the regime," Mr Polak explained, adding they hoped the decision to release political prisoners "is a positive sign of their intentions".

"Unfortunately, the good news won’t be shared by all," he told the BBC, stating that a number of political prisoners had died in custody.

At least 20 other families of political prisoners gathered outside a military intelligence force building in the capital Dhaka earlier in the day, still desperately waiting for news about their loved ones, AFP news agency reports.

"We need answers," Sanjida Islam Tulee, a co-ordinator of Mayer Daak (The Call of the Mothers) campaign group, told the news agency.

Across the border in India, Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said he was "deeply concerned till law and order is visibly restored" in Bangladesh, with which India shares a 4,096-km (2,545-mile) border and has close economic and cultural ties.

He gave the first official confirmation that Ms Hasina made a request to travel to India at "very short notice" and "arrived yesterday evening in Delhi".

India also deployed additional troops along its border with Bangladesh.

"Our border guarding forces have also been instructed to be exceptionally alert in view of this complex situation," Mr Jaishankar said.

[follow-up-news]

Bangladesh’s president dissolved Parliament Tuesday, clearing the way for new elections to replace the longtime prime minister who resigned and fled the country following weeks of demonstrations against her rule that descended into violence. President Mohammed Shahabuddin also ordered the release of opposition leader Khaleda Zia from house arrest. Zia, a longtime rival of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was convicted on corruption charges by Hasina’s government in 2018. On Tuesday, some senior positions in the military were reshuffled. The student protesters said they would not allow any military-backed government.

[warningsine]

Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned on Monday as thousands of protesters defied a military curfew and stormed her official residence, sparking violence that killed at least 66 people according to local police and hospitals. Army chief Waker-Uz-Zaman confirmed in a televised address that Hasina had left the country and that an interim government would be formed. Hasina's resignation comes as deadly protests over the reintroduction of a quota scheme for government jobs began in July this year.

Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule as Bangladesh's prime minister ended Monday as she fled more than a month of deadly protests and the military announced it would form an interim government.

Hasina had sought to quell nationwide protests against her government since early July but she fled the country after brutal unrest on Sunday in which nearly 100 people were killed.

"We want a corruption-free Bangladesh, where everyone would have the right to express their opinion," said Monirul Islam, a 27-year-old man among hundreds of thousands celebrating in the streets in the capital Dhaka.

Bangladesh's army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said in a broadcast to the nation on state television that Hasina had resigned and the military would form a caretaker government.

Why is the army speaking for Bangladesh following PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation?

"The country has suffered a lot, the economy has been hit, many people have been killed – it is time to stop the violence," said Waker, shortly after jubilant crowds stormed and looted Hasina's official residence.

At least 66 people were killed Monday, police said, saying gangs had launched revenge attacks on Hasina's allies. Many were shot.

Millions of Bangladeshis took to the streets across the South Asian country.

Jubilant crowds waved flags, some dancing on top of a tank, before thousands broke through the gates of Hasina's residence. Others later stormed parliament.

Bangladesh's Channel 24 broadcast images of crowds running into the prime minister's compound, grinning and waving to the camera, looting furniture and books, or relaxing on beds.

'Mob rule'

Mobs also raided and ransacked the homes of Hasina's Awami League party allies as well as police stations, witnesses told AFP.

"The homes and businesses of pro-Awami League people have been attacked," a senior police officer said, speaking on the condition of anonymity, and calling the violence "mob rule".

Others torched television stations that had backed Hasina's rule, smashed statues of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country's independence hero, and set fire to a museum dedicated to him.

"The time has come to make them accountable for torture," said protester Kaza Ahmed. "Sheikh Hasina is responsible for murder."

Waker said protests should end and vowed that "all the injustices will be addressed", while the military said it would lift a curfew on Tuesday morning, with businesses and schools to reopen.

Late Monday, Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the release of prisoners from the protests, as well as former prime minister and key opposition leader Khaleda Zia, 78.

Zia, who is in poor health, was jailed by her arch-rival Hasina for graft in 2018.

The president and army chief also met late Monday, alongside key opposition leaders, with the president's press team saying it had been "decided to form an interim government immediately".

It was not immediately clear if Waker would lead it.

Security forces had supported Hasina's government throughout the unrest, which began last month in the form of protests against civil service job quotas and then escalated into wider calls for her to stand down.

Hasina, 76, fled the country by helicopter, a source close to the ousted leader told AFP.

Media in neighbouring India reported Hasina had landed at a military airbase near New Delhi.

A top-level source said she wanted to "transit" on to London, but calls by the British government for a UN-led investigation into "unprecedented levels of violence" put that into doubt.

Bangladesh's military said they had shut Dhaka's international airport on Monday evening, without giving a reason.

There were widespread calls by protesters to ensure Hasina's close allies remained in the country.

'Major vacuum'

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center, warned that Hasina's departure "would leave a major vacuum" and that the country was in "uncharted territory".

"The coming days are critical," he said.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called Monday for an "orderly and peaceful" transition towards an elected government. Former colonial ruler Britian and the United States urged "calm".

Demonstrations began over the reintroduction of a quota scheme that reserved more than half of all government jobs for certain groups.

The protests escalated despite the scheme being scaled back by Bangladesh's top court.

The latest violence took the total number of people killed since protests began to at least 366, according to an AFP tally based on police, government officials and doctors at hospitals.

Soldiers and police in several cases did not intervene to stem Sunday's protests, unlike during the past month of rallies that repeatedly ended in deadly crackdowns.

Bangladesh has a long history of coups.

The military declared an emergency in January 2007 after widespread political unrest and installed a military-backed caretaker government for two years.

Hasina then ruled Bangladesh from 2009 and won her fourth consecutive election in January after a vote without genuine opposition.

Her government was accused by rights groups of misusing state institutions to entrench its hold on power and stamp out dissent, including through the extrajudicial killing of opposition activists.

(AFP) 

[zvaigzdelasas]

Fakhrul, the top Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader in the absence of convicted chief Khaleda Zia and her exiled son Tarique Rahman, led the sit-in protest in front of the party office in Dhaka.[...]

Several other opposition parties raised similar demands in separate demonstrations across the capital. Ruling Awami League held some counter demonstrations in Dhaka in support of the Hasina government.[...]

The political showdown came at a time when two foreign delegations, from the European Union and the United States, respectively, were in Bangladesh to hold talks with different stakeholders over various issues, including a free and fair general election, democracy, and human rights. The Asian country is scheduled to hold general elections later this year or in early 2024.

Wednesday’s rally is the biggest opposition rally since December when the BNP defied police obstacles, attacks, and arrests to hold a public rally in the capital.[...] The BNP has been holding protests since August against rising commodity prices and demanding the unconditional release of Zia and the formation of an interim government for polls.[...]

The Awami League and the BNP have ruled Bangladesh since 1991, except for a brief quasi-military rule in 2007-08.

12 Jul 23

[bvjhuyu]

Bangladesh's ex-PM Khaleda Zia makes first public appearance in six years; 'lucky she joined us', says Yunus - Times of India

Bangladesh’s former prime minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia, who has battling various ailments, made her first public appearance in six years on Thursday, following her release from house arrest after the departure of her long-time adversary Sheikh Hasina. The intense political conflict between these two former prime ministers has been a defining feature of the nation’s politics for…

[head-post]

Sheikh Hasina’s coalition party office attacked

Attackers set fire on Thursday night to the headquarters of a Bangladesh party supporting ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, media reports said. 

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack on the Jatiya Party office in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka. TV channels and other media reported that the attackers stormed the party headquarters in Dhaka’s Bijoy Nagar neighbourhood, clashed with party members there and eventually set the premises on fire. No information was reported on whether there were any casualties.

The extent of the damage was not immediately known. According to Rashed bin Khaled, a fire and civil defence official, firefighters rushed to the scene. Bin Khaled, who spoke to The Associated Press by phone, gave no other details.

The party is Bangladesh’s third-largest and was founded by former military dictator H.M. Ershad in the 1980s.

At the time of the attack, a prominent leader of the student protest movement that led to Hasina’s ouster from power in August said the Jatiya Party should be “destroyed” for supporting her government.

Hasnat Abdullah, a student leader, said in a Facebook post that the Jatiya Party is a “national traitor.”

Abdullah is a spokesman for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, which led the July protests. He also called on students to gather at Dhaka University and march to the Jatiya Party headquarters.

Hasina’s Bangladesh Awami League party has ruled the country for 15 years, since 2009. Its critics say the Jatiya Party acted to give Hasina’s rule a semblance of democracy as other major political parties did not participate in the elections.

Protests against Sheikh Hasina

Protests in Bangladesh began in July, with demonstrators demanding the abolition of the job quota system for relatives of the 1971 war of independence. Anti-government protests erupted with renewed vigour on August 4 when protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Hasina. On August 5, head of government Sheikh Hasina left office amid widespread protests and flew to India.

After the Prime Minister fled, President Mohammed Shahabuddin ordered the release of detained protesters as well as former Prime Minister and opposition leader Khaleda Zia.

Amid the protests, Bangladesh imposed a curfew and restricted internet access.

Read more HERE

[sa7abnews]

Yunus sworn in to lead Bangladesh interim government

New Post has been published on https://sa7ab.info/2024/08/11/yunus-sworn-in-to-lead-bangladesh-interim-government/

Yunus sworn in to lead Bangladesh interim government

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was sworn into office Thursday as Bangladesh’s interim leader, vowing to guide the country back to democracy after a student-led uprising ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina.

Yunus, who only returned home hours earlier, swore to “uphold, support and protect the constitution”, in front of Bangladeshi political and civil society leaders, generals and diplomats at the presidential palace.

“Today is a glorious day for us,” Yunus, 84, told reporters when he returned to Dhaka from Europe.

“Bangladesh has created a new victory day. Bangladesh has got a second independence.”

Yunus called for the restoration of order in the South Asian nation after weeks of violence that left at least 455 people dead, calling on citizens to guard each other, including minorities who came under attack.

“Law and order is our first task… We cannot take a step forward unless we fix the law and order situation,” he said.

“My call to the people is if you have trust in me, then make sure there will be no attacks against anyone, anywhere in the country.”

“Every person is our brother… our task is to protect them,” Yunus said, adding that “the whole of Bangladesh is one big family”.

More than a dozen members of his cabinet – given the title of advisers, not ministers – also took the oath.

The group included two top leaders of the Students Against Discrimination group that led the weeks-long protests, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud.

Others included a former foreign secretary, a former attorney general, an environmental lawyer, and prominent rights activist Adilur Rahman Khan, who was sentenced to two years in jail during Hasina’s rule.

The caretaker administration is a civilian team, bar one retired brigadier-general.

Hasina, accused of widespread human rights abuses including the jailing of her political opponents, was forced to flee to neighbouring India on Monday as masses of protesters flooded Dhaka’s streets.

The military then agreed to student demands that Yunus – who won the Nobel prize in 2006 for his pioneering microfinancing work – lead an interim government.

Yunus choked with emotion Thursday as he recalled the killing of student activist Abu Sayeed, shot dead in July by police from close range.

He paid tribute to the youth who sparked the protest movement and those who risked all for their desire for change.

“They protected the nation and gave it a new life”, he said.

‘Beautiful democratic process’

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his “best wishes” to Yunus, saying New Delhi – which had close ties with Hasina – was “committed” to working with Dhaka.

The United States and European Union also voiced readiness to work with the interim government, with State Department spokesman Matthew Miller saying Washington hoped to work together as Bangladesh “charts a democratic future”.

During Hasina’s reign, Yunus was hit with more than 100 criminal cases and a smear campaign by a state-led Islamic agency that accused him of promoting homosexuality.

Yunus had travelled abroad this year while on bail after being sentenced to six months in jail on a charge condemned as politically motivated. A Dhaka court acquitted him of that charge on Wednesday.

Army chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman said Wednesday he supported Yunus.

“I am certain that he will be able to take us through a beautiful democratic process,” Waker said.

Bangladeshis voiced hope for the future at a rally in Dhaka on Wednesday for the former opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), whose chairperson, former prime minister Khaleda Zia, 78, was released from years of house arrest.

“I expect that the country is run in a nice way, and the police force is reformed so that they can’t harass people,” Moynul Islam Pintu told AFP.

Monday’s events were the culmination of more than a month of unrest, which began as protests against a quota plan for government jobs but morphed into an anti-Hasina movement.

“The protests are a seismic moment in Bangladesh history,” said International Crisis Group analyst Thomas Kean.

“The country really had been at risk of becoming a one-party state, and through a peaceful street-based movement led by Gen Z students in their 20s, they’ve managed to force her from power.”

Military move

The military’s switching of allegiance was the decisive factor in her ouster. It has since acceded to a range of demands from the student leaders.

The president on Tuesday dissolved parliament and sacked the head of the police force, who protesters had blamed for leading Hasina’s crackdown.

The new chief, Mainul Islam, offered an apology Wednesday for the conduct of officers and vowed a “fair and impartial investigation” into the killings of ��students, common people and the police”.

Besides Zia, some other political prisoners were freed.

The military has demoted some generals seen as close to Hasina and sacked Ziaul Ahsan, a commander of the feared Rapid Action Battalion paramilitary force.

[allthenewzworld]

In her first reaction after being released from jail, former #Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia urged her countrymen to build a "democratic Bangladesh where all religions are respected".

In a video message in Bangla, Khaleda Zia said, "You have been praying for my health all this while. I am able to speak to you to due to the blessings of Allah. We have been able to get independence from this fascist government. I pay my obeisance to the brave ones who gave their lives."

(Bangladesh violence, interim government, Sheikh Hasina)

[citizenrecord]

"No Provision For…": What UK Said On Sheikh Hasina Asylum Reports

British immigration rules do not allow individuals to travel to that country to seek asylum or temporary refuge, the UK Home Office told NDTV Tuesday morning, amid persistent speculation ousted Bangladesh leader Sheikh Hasina, now in Delhi, will fly to London to claim sanctuary.

The UK government - now headed by Sir Keir Starmer following Labour's landslide win last month - also said individuals seeking asylum must do so "in the first safe country they reach".

"The UK has a proud record of providing protection for people who need it. However, there is no provision for someone to be allowed to travel to the UK to seek asylum or temporary refuge."

Those who need international protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach - that is the fastest route to safety," a UK Home Office spokesperson told NDTV.

Nevertheless, sources indicate a formal asylum request is being processed.

Mrs Hasina, 76, was forced to resign as Prime Minister Monday evening after weeks-long protests over a jobs quota killed over 300 people. She fled Dhaka in a military aircraft - reportedly after the Bangladesh Army gave her a 45-minute ultimatum - and flew first to an IAF base in Uttar Pradesh.

Sources last night told NDTV Mrs Hasina - met on arrival in India by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval - would proceed on to London after her plane was refuelled. Since then, though, there has been confirmation of the former Prime Minister's schedule or, indeed, about her location.

Sources have, though, said she is in "protective custody" of Indian intelligence services.

She is accompanied by her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, who is a UK citizen, which could be useful to claim asylum in that country. Also, her niece, Tulip Siddiq, is a British Labour parliamentarian.

Mrs Hasina's daughter, Saima Wazed, is based in Delhi as the regional chief for the World Health Organization. This, though, may not open doors as she works for an international agency.

This morning Bangladeshi publication Daily Sun cited unconfirmed sources as saying India has granted permission for an "interim stay", during which Mrs Hasina will get comprehensive logistical support.

This is reportedly only temporary and pending relocation to Britain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been briefed on the Bangladesh situation, and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has spoken to leaders of all major political parties in the country.

At that meeting Mr Jaishankar spoke of a "conspiracy" to topple Mrs Hasina's government. This was in response to a question by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who asked if there could be an involvement of foreign powers, specifically Pakistan, in the dramatic developments in Dhaka over the past few weeks.

In speculation that has emerged (inevitably so) since Mrs Hasina quit, three key names are at the forefront, two of whom are the Army, which took charge after Mrs Hasina quit, and which may have given her a 45-minute ultimatum; and her nemesis and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who was jailed in 2018 on corruption charges and whose release was ordered by the President.

[kimskashmir]

Sheikh Hasina flees, Bangladesh President orders Ex PM Khaleda Zia's release

DHAKA — Bangladeshi President Mohammed Shahabuddin on Monday ordered the release of jailed former prime minister and key opposition leader Khaleda Zia, hours after her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina was ousted and the military took power. The president’s press team said in a statement that a meeting led by Shahabuddin had “decided unanimously to free Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum…

[globaltrendingnews247]

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[sebahotnews]

সেবা ডেস্ক: জামালপুরের বকশীগঞ্জে সাবেক প্রধানমন্ত্রী ও বিএনপি চেয়ারপারসন বেগম খালেদা জিয়ার মুক্তি ও বিএনপির সিনিয়র ভাইস চেয়ারম্যান তারেক রহমানের বিরুদ্ধে দায়ের করা মামলা বাতিলের দাবিতে অনশন কর্মসূচি পালিত হয়ে

[freedomnews24]

Khaleda Zia will return home in the afternoon

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia will be taken home from Evercare Hospital. He will be taken from the hospital to his Gulshan residence Firoza on Sunday (November 8) afternoon.

Khaleda Zia's medical team member BNP Vice Chairman. AZM Zahid Hossain said the medical board would meet at noon to decide on the matter. Only then will the decision be made. There is a possibility of taking it home, but it depends on the decision of the medical board.  

Earlier, Khaleda Zia was taken to Evercare Hospital for a medical check-up from her Gulshan residence at 3.40 pm on October 12. He was later admitted to the hospital on the advice of doctors.

Khaleda Zia was sent to jail on February 8, 2016 after being convicted in a corruption case. On March 25 last year, in the wake of the Corona epidemic, the government released him on parole. So far, Khaleda Zia's release time has been extended in four phases.

[warningsine]

With the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year autocratic regime, Bangladesh’s political landscape is shifting into a new dimension. As the once-dominant Awami League (AL), led by Hasina herself, and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) struggle to maintain their grip, a political vacuum has set the stage for a realignment. Amid the weakening of traditional parties, the weakness of leftist factions and people’s frustration with the AL-BNP power cycle, Islamist groups are seizing the moment to step into the spotlight.

For example, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), which had operated at a minimal level during the Hasina regime, especially in public university campuses through their student wing Bangladesh, Islami Chhatrashibir, and by promoting Islamic preachers around the country, is now reasserting its presence. Now JI is expanding its influence from urban centers to rural areas and among conservative sections of the population.

Bangladesh’s political landscape is characterized by a wide array of parties, including 44 active political parties. Among these are 13 Islamic parties, which are becoming increasingly prominent. Key players in this movement include JI, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis. Hefazat-e-Islam, though not a political party, wields significant influence through its large support base and vocal leader, Mamunul Haque. The group gained popularity during the 2013 protests at the capital’s Shapla Chattar.

While the AL committed to secularism and modernization, promoting economic development and a secular state, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has traditionally appealed to nationalist sentiments, with a focus on social justice, which grants the party a more conservative agenda than that of the AL but less in line with the ideas of Islamists.

Islamist parties do promote a political model of governance based on Islamic doctrine and, therefore, focus on an inclusive policy toward Sharia within the political context. It is worth mentioning that around 90 percent of the population in Bangladesh practices Islam. Hindus comprise 8 percent of the population. Christians, Buddhists, and others account for the remainder.

Although the BNP is still considered the largest opposition party, it was substantially weakened during Hasina’s rule. Years of harassment and imprisonment by the AL government along with internal strife took a heavy toll on the party. The recent release of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the potential return of her son Tarique Rahman could give the party some momentum. Yet it may not regain its erstwhile importance.

Moreover, the absence of a robust leftist presence has also inadvertently paved the way for radical parties to gain prominence. Historically, leftist parties like the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) played crucial roles in historical movements. However, today, these parties are numerically small and significantly divided by internal dissensions. The AL’s crackdown is also one of the main reasons for their weakness.

A look at the past indicates that the advent of Islamist parties in a popular opposition has created a comfortable environment for extremism to operate, whether intentionally or unintentionally. In fact, during the period beginning with 1991-1996 under the BNP, Islamist parties like JI gained more influence. There was a greater inclusion of religious rhetoric into mainstream politics during this period.

This influence became more entrenched when the BNP came to power again in 2001 in coalition with Islamist parties. Data shows an increase in extremist activities during this period. Groups such as Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) and Hizb Ut Tahrir (HTB) carried out bombings and targeted foreign diplomats, judges, and writers, including the perpetration of a spate of bombings across the country in 2005. The most alarming aspect is that the HTB is now actively protesting in various places demanding the lifting of the ban on the outfit. The organization was banned in 2009 due to its calls for the establishment of a caliphate, which is a threat to national security and democratic values.

Apart from political activities, Islamist parties have gained significant popularity through social welfare, disaster relief, and educational support work. Their grassroots humanitarian initiatives, especially during recent floods in Cumilla, Feni, and Noakhali, have built a strong community presence and trust, expanding their support beyond mere politics.

In contrast, since August 5, numerous accusations surfaced against BNP leaders for engaging in illicit activities especially extortion and attacks on AL leaders, leading to public disillusionment. Although the BNP has suspended several implicated activists, the damage to their credibility poses a significant concern.

Despite gaining popularity among people day by day, Islamist parties are now aiming for coalition-building — a new development, as traditionally, they had differing theological bases.

Mia Golam Parwar, secretary of JI, recently told BBC Bangla, “We hope that all the Islamic parties will do the election in a coalition. A desire for unity is clearly noticeable among the parties, which we never saw in the past.”

At a rally in Dhaka on August 31, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s Senior Naib-e-Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim hinted at a potential alliance between Islami Andolon Bangladesh and JI. He said that if there is consensus, the two parties could unite.

He remarked, “Today, I say to Jamaat: a golden opportunity is approaching. The election will not take place tomorrow. This is a remarkable chance to fight the election together.”

This coalition, comprising some parties that were earlier fragmented, may just prove to be a game-changer in the case of Bangladesh. If the coalition wins, many believe there will be an increase in Islamist representation and possibly a policy change in the growing inclination toward conservative and religiously aligned governance.

However, the process of coalition building will face various obstacles on different theological beliefs. For example, the bone of contention for the alliance would be differing views regarding shrines, as one group has a pro-veneration stance toward these places of worship whereas another group is against this type of veneration. Ideological differences promote vandalism activities, which make efforts toward attaining a consolidated posture difficult. Already many shrines have been vandalized in various places around the country.

Moreover, historical and political baggage, like the controversial past of JI during the Liberation War in 1971, add difficulties to forging a cohesive coalition. Many parties don’t like JI for their involvement with Pakistan during the war and its different political agenda.

Moreover, while Islamic political parties have generally performed well in street protests, they haven’t done as well at the ballot box. In the 1991 national election, JI won only 18 seats among 300 in the coalition of the BNP. In the 2001 elections, JI secured only 17 seats. Yet, this was followed by a series of setbacks. By the 2008 elections, JI could only manage to obtain two seats through its four-party alliance with the BNP.

So, the current political vacuum in Bangladesh presents both opportunities and challenges for Islamist parties and the people of the country. While their rise is facilitated by the weakening of mainstream parties and growing public discontent with the AL and the BNP alternating in power, the path ahead is fraught with obstacles, including internal theological differences and historical baggage. The success of Islamist parties in forming a cohesive coalition and gaining electoral success will significantly shape Bangladesh’s future political landscape. As the country navigates this transitional period, the balance between radicalism and moderation will be crucial in determining the stability and direction of Bangladesh’s democracy.

[sristybarta]

Khaleda Zia returns home from hospital

Khaleda Zia returns home from hospital

BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has returned to her Gulshan residence after getting release from the hospital tonight. BNP Media wing member Shairul Kabir Khan confirmed the matter to Daily Bangladesh. Shairul Kabir Khan said that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was admitted to Bashundhara Evercare Hospital on April 27 with corona. She will return home from the hospital after 7 pm today. Khaleda Zia was…