Awami League registers complaints, protests in a long Facebook post

The killings of general people and Awami League faithful must be stopped, the party says

The Awami League, which recently lost power in a mass uprising, has taken to Facebook to register its protests and complaints.

In a Facebook post from its verified account on Thursday, the party called for the arrest of the ‘saboteurs’ who had carried out attacks on Awami League leaders and activists nationwide.

“The killings of general people and Awami League faithful must be stopped and the killers should be arrested and brought to justice immediately. Those who think they will destroy the AL live in a fool's paradise,” the party said in the long post.

Sheikh Hasina stepped down as a prime minister in the wake of a massive student-led civil movement on Aug 5 and fled to India. She is the only head of government who chose to escape the country after the transfer of power.

There are reports that many of the senior AL leaders have left the country like her. Several former ministers and MPs have already been arrested. The rest have gone into hiding.

Several dozens of murder cases over the deaths in the movement have been initiated over the past two months. Hasina and Awami League adherents have been named in the lawsuits.

“We know you are not doing well. The current condition of the country has created a critical anarchic situation for everyone around,” the post read, promising support of the Awami League chief for the people of the country in any circumstances.

"You all have seen everything and know everything. Now you may realise everything, under what circumstances she left the country. The conspirators wanted more bodies but she didn't want any more deaths. Hence, she had taken the interim step."

The Awami League, which had ruled the country for 15 consecutive years through three controversial parliamentary elections, maintains that behind the student-led movement, there was a "domestic and international conspiracy to grab power".

“You have seen how the country’s evil political forces and foreign agents started killing and arson by hijacking the students' movement from Jul 16. The situation was escalated by using 7.62 rifles to open fire on the students. You have seen how the state facilities in Dhaka have been destroyed."

Referring to the looting at Ganabhaban, vandalism and arson attacks on Awami League establishments after the fall of the government, the post read, "Think what the relation the quota movement had with these acts of violence and destruction. See how the police, who have a role in controlling the situation, were killed indiscriminately in a planned manner and how 450 police stations and armouries were looted."

Explaining Hasina’s departure, the party said, 'It was all a conspiracy to seize power. If the government had been more strict, there would have been more deaths. That’s why Hasina took this measure to protect the lives of the people."