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Interview With Reuters

Satisfied with Army Chief’s timeline for polls: Joy

No genuine reforms, polls possible without AL, he says

Published : Thursday, 26 September, 2024 at 12:00 AM  Count : 246
NEW DELHI, Sept 25: Bangladesh will not see genuine reforms or polls if the Awami League is excluded, says Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the son of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

However, he told Reuters that he was satisfied with the Army Chief Gen Waker-Uz-Zaman's timeline for elections in around 18 months, though he called the date later than expected.

Waker had previously told Reuters that democracy should return within a year to a year and a half.

"I'm happy to hear we have an expected timeline at least now," Joy told Reuters on Tuesday.

"But we have seen this play out before where an unconstitutional, unelected government promises reform and then things only get worse."

Joy's words recall Bangladesh's long history of coups, the most recent of which was in 2007. A military-backed caretaker government had ruled for around two years before an election that delivered Hasina to power.

The Anti-discrimination Student Movement, which had started as a platform calling for reforms to the quota system for government jobs, turned into an anti-government movement after hundreds died in violence surrounding the protests.

Following the overthrowing of the Awami League administration, the military took over the key role of providing security as the police force was left in disarray.

Meanwhile, an interim government led by Nobel peace laureate Dr Muhammad Yunus took power on Aug 8. Yunus has promised reforms in the judiciary, police and financial institutions before the election, but has not set a date for the polls.

On Wednesday, Yunus's office told Reuters the government would hold talks with political parties after receiving recommendations from the six reform panels it has set up.

"Once the consensus on the reforms is reached and the voter list is prepared, the date for the vote will be announced," it said.

The BNP said it would like elections held at the earliest opportunity.

Joy said "It's impossible to have legitimate reforms and elections by excluding Awami League, the oldest and largest political party".

Many senior Awami League leaders, former ministers, MPs, and advisers have been arrested on accusations of playing a part in the violence surrounding the protests. Others have gone into hiding.

Many Awami League activists have been killed since Hasina's ousting, Joy claims.

Last month, he told Reuters that Hasina was ready to face trial at home, a demand made by students who led the uprising, and that the Awami League would like to contest the elections.

On Tuesday, asked when Hasina might return home, he said to Reuters: "That will be up to her. Right now I want to keep my party people safe, so I want to raise international awareness on the atrocities being committed against them by this Yunus regime."

Representatives of the interim government did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his statements.    —Reuters



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