Yunus consults political parties on India-Bangladesh relation, excludes Awami League and allies

Mohammad Yunus, head of Bangladesh’s interim government. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Several political parties in Bangladesh on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) urged Chief Adviser Mohammad Yunus to hold early election in the country. The discussion between delegations of leading political parties and the Chief Adviser took place during a meeting that. Prof Yunus had called to to seek suggestion from political parties on how to counter what was described as “aggression against the nation”. The meeting however did not include the Awami League and its allies.

“Election has its own dynamics and announcement of election will activate public enthusiasm. That will be helpful for the country and that is why we raised the matter though it was not on the main agenda of today’s meeting with Chief Adviser,” said Amir Khosru Mahmud Choudhury, standing committee member of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to The Hindu over a phone call from Dhaka.

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Since taking power in August, Prof. Yunus has met with the political parties on multiple occasions but this is the first time that such a large meeting was held under the interim government. Prof. Yunus had promised to hold consultation with political parties for shaping the path ahead for election but it is not yet clear if a future election would include the Awami League and its allies who were in power till 5 August.

The meeting was called to seek suggestions from political parties about what strategy the interim government should adopt to steer Bangladesh-India relationship especially in the backdrop of vandalism in the Assistant High Commission of Bangladesh in Tripura’s capital Agartala.

“There is sustained propaganda on various media platforms of India that are very harmful for bilateral relation with India and we feel that a certain quarter in India that was the main supporter of the Sheikh Hasina government is unable to come to terms with the changes that have taken place in Bangladesh,” said Amir Khosru Mahmud Choudhury summing up the themes that were discussed in the meeting.

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The meeting however gave a hint of the direction of the emerging outline of the party system as Wednesday’s meeting did not include the Awami League and its allies like the Jatiyo Party of the late General Hossein Mohammed Ershad. Following the meeting, adviser of law affairs Asif Nazrul said, the meeting did not include Awami League and its allies who he described as “fascist parties”.

“Apart from the fascist Awami League government and their allies, all political parties of Bangladesh participated in the meeting. There were difference of opinions among us but we were united in our approach to safeguard independence, sovereignty and honour of Bangladesh,” said Mr Nazrul who is widely regarded as one of the leading spokespersons of the interim government. Asif Nazrul alleged that anti-Bangladesh activities are being supported in India.

“The meeting condemned India’s attempts to establish cultural hegemony over Bangladesh and its economic harassment of our country. It also condemned India’s attempts to interfere in Bangladesh’s internal affairs. The parties urged the government to reveal all agreements that were concluded with India in the last fifteen years and cancel all those agreements that are harmful for Bangladesh,” said Asif Nazrul in a statement to the media after the meeting with the political parties.

Apart from BNP, Wednesday’s meeting included Jamaat-e-Islami of Bangladesh which was represented by its Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and Amaar Bangla party. Some of the parties suggested that the the interim government should create a public relation cell to counter India and constitute a special committee for the minority communities of Bangladesh.