Staff Correspondent

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Md Nahid Islam today said NCP firmly rejects any discussion or proposal regarding allowing Awami League to participate in elections while their trial for genocide and crimes against humanity is pending.

“The political activities of the Awami League and all individuals and organisations affiliated with fascism must be banned during the Awami League's trial for genocide and crimes against humanity,” said Nahid.

NCP, a political party of the students who spearheaded the mass uprising last year, came up with the remarks at an emergency press conference at the party’s office at Rupayan Tower in the capital this evening.

Nahid also warned that the party will resist any move to rehabilitate the ousted Awami League in politics. “NCP has pledged to resist any attempts to bring this ‘Mafia group’ back into politics,” he added.

“NCP demands the pledge of ensuring the trial for the July genocide, as well as other genocides and crimes against humanity committed under the previous fascist regime. During the trial, the AL’s registration must be revoked,” he added.

Nahid also called for visible progress in trial against AL for the ‘genocide’ committed during the uprising. “Despite the clear international statements regarding AL’s crimes against humanity, the sluggish pace of the judicial process is highly condemnable,” he added.

“NCP demands immediate visible progress in the trial of the July genocide, as well as the enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings carried out under the previous fascist regime,” he said.

“Awami League is not a democratic or political party; rather, it is a fascist party. The party was not defeated through votes in the elections rather it was overthrown through an unprecedented uprising for carrying out genocide in Bangladesh through organizational decisions,” said Nahid.

Awami League is currently positioned outside the democratic framework, he said, adding, NCP firmly rejects any discussion or proposal on allowing Awami League to participate in the elections while their trial for genocide and crimes against humanity is pending.

The people of Bangladesh, through their vote on July 36th, have already made it clear that Awami League has lost all political legitimacy and the right to participate in Bangladesh’s politics, Nahid added.

NCP called upon all political parties and groups opposing fascism to come together and make a unified decision regarding Awami League, based on the political consensus.
NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said protest programmes, led by the NCP, will continue across the country demanding trial of AL and cancellation of its registration.
“We can hear about efforts to rehabilitate Awami League at various levels of the state. Foreign powers are also trying to generate support in this regard. We strongly condemn domestic and foreign efforts to rehabilitate Awami League,” he said.

NCP Senior Joint Conveners Samantha Sharmin, Ariful Islam Adib, Senior Joint Member Secretaries Dr. Tasnim Zara, Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwari, Chief Organizer (Northern Region) Sarjis Alam, and Chief Organizer (Southern Region) Hasnat Abdullah, among others, were also present at the press conference.