No political space for AL until trials conclude, says MP Partho

Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) lawmaker Andaleeve Rahman Partho, a member of the ruling coalition, has stated that the Awami League has no right to return to politics until it faces justice for its alleged crimes. 

Speaking during the debate on the President's address, Partho asserted that any political force that denies the July uprising or labels its participants as militants has no place in Bangladesh's democratic landscape. He attributed the political failures of the past 17 years to the inability of mainstream parties to connect with the youth about the extent of Awami League's authoritarian rule.

Partho also leveled serious allegations against the former government, claiming that the verdict in Khaleda Zia's case was written in the corridors of Ganabhaban, the official residence of the prime minister. 

He suggested that the current Prime Minister may have also been subjected to a politically motivated judicial process. He further alleged that during the Awami League era, candidates were required to write "Father of the Nation" after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's name in civil service exams or face disqualification, and that DNA tests and bribes of up to 1.5 million taka were involved in manipulating recruitment.

His remarks about "freeing the people from the Zia family" triggered protests from opposition benches. Opposition Leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman responded with a pointed quip, saying everyone claims to love him so much that they cannot stop dragging his name into debates, adding that he never made such a statement. 

Partho countered by claiming he possessed documentary evidence that the remark was made by a leader from the Jatiya Nagorik Party.

Government Chief Whip Ruhul Quddus Talukder Dulu weighed in, urging the opposition to take action against those making derogatory remarks about the head of government. 

He called for the implementation of a ninth wage board for journalists and demanded accountability from media professionals he accused of branding political leaders as militants during the previous regime.

Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Saiful Alam Khan from Dhaka-12 raised alarm over the banking sector, warning that the recently amended Bank Resolution Act could inadvertently create an opening for fugitive business tycoon S Alam to regain influence. 

He cited reports that 7.05 billion taka was withdrawn from Islami Bank in a single day, cautioning that if the bank collapses, it will deal a severe blow to the national economy. 

Saiful also criticized the government's decision to let key human rights ordinances lapse instead of approving them and expressed concern over the suspension of reforms related to Supreme Court appointments, warning that these moves risk pushing the judiciary back under executive influence.

Fellow Jamaat MP Shahjahen Chowdhury defended his party's patriotic credentials, claiming that voters have endorsed Jamaat through proportional vote counts in the recent election. He argued that Jamaat has historically fought to restore democracy, citing the party's role in the movement to free Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the Agartala Conspiracy Case.

Another Jamaat lawmaker, Nurul Islam, described the BNP's decision to annul the July Charter implementation order and cancel the referendum verdict as the party's greatest political blunder. 

He warned that undermining the aspirations of the July uprising amounts to welcoming another mass movement and ushering in a new wave of authoritarianism. 

He also alleged that a loan defaulter with party affiliations has been appointed as Bangladesh Bank governor, calling it a national embarrassment and a dire warning for the country's fragile economy.