Awami League must admit to crimes if it wants reconciliation: PM’s Advisor

The Awami League, which was ousted from power during the student-led mass uprising, is currently barred from conducting political activities, although discussions are underway about the party’s possible return to politics. Against this backdrop, people are asking how can reconciliation with the Awami League be achieved? Prime Minister’s Information Advisor Zahed Ur Rahman says the party must first acknowledge its crimes.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday at the Press Information Department in the Secretariat in Dhaka, he said the first and fundamental condition for entering into a long-term reconciliation with any political force is a specific acknowledgment of its own crimes and genuine remorse for them. Without meeting this initial condition, he said, there will be no question of reconciliation.

When the interim government imposed a ban on the Awami League’s activities, it said the ban would remain in place until the trials of crimes against humanity committed during the July uprising were completed.

The trials are underway at the International Crimes Tribunal. Verdicts have already been delivered in several cases, including a death sentence against Awami League President Sheikh Hasina.

Because of the ban on its activities, the Awami League was not allowed to participate in the 13th parliamentary election. However, the party’s leaders have continued to demand an opportunity to return to politics, prompting discussions about a possible political reconciliation.

Advisor Zahed Ur Rahman said there has been extensive discussion since August 5 about the need for political reconciliation and lasting stability in the country. He said there are still many Awami League supporters and activists in Bangladesh, and their existence and views as citizens cannot simply be disregarded.

For this reason, he said, he does not consider the idea of reconciliation with the Awami League fundamentally unreasonable. However, he emphasized the need for a clear moral basis for any such reconciliation.

The prime minister’s advisor said that if a political party has committed serious crimes against the people, it must first acknowledge its mistakes and crimes. Only after acknowledging those crimes does the question of remorse arise, he said.

Pointing out that he has not seen such remorse within the Awami League, he said, “It is extremely regrettable that, since the mass uprising, we have not seen even the slightest sign of remorse among the party’s top leadership or supporters.

“We have watched with great surprise as the party’s top leader, even after leaving the country, has continued to intimidate the people of Bangladesh and issue threats one after another. We have tried to listen carefully to her statements since the movement. Instead of remorse, we have seen an attitude of revenge and a politics of retaliation.”

Under such circumstances, Zahed Ur Rahman said he believes discussions on reconciliation are impossible.
He said that under such a one-sided and provocative situation, it is practically impossible to move forward with discussions on reconciliation.

In his words, “An initiative for reconciliation must always come from both sides. But if one side refuses to acknowledge its own crimes and instead chooses the path of threats and anarchy, it is almost impossible for the government alone to continue or even consider reconciliation talks.”

The prime minister’s advisor advised those who want “reconciliation” to contact the Awami League and convey the matter to the party’s top leadership.

“If anyone wants reconciliation and believes it would be beneficial, they should contact the Awami League and speak to its top leadership to ensure the basic conditions for beginning reconciliation are in place. If that much is achieved, then discussions can certainly take place,” he said.

He also said at the news conference that, to build the foundation for national unity, all sides must first face the truth and respect the aspirations of the people.