Jatiya Nagorik Party Chief Organizer (South) Hasnat Abdullah said that they consider the discussions held with the higher authorities of the army at the cantonment as interference in political matters. He said this at an emergency press conference at the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) office at Rupayan Tower in Bangla Motor in the capital on Friday.
Responding to a question on this matter, Hasnat Abdullah said, ‘The discussions held with us by the higher authorities of the army. We think that is interference in political matters.’ In this context, he further said, ‘Politics will be decided by politicians—the course of political events or whatever is going on, the direction in which politics will go next, should be in the hands of politicians. So, we had to give my status yesterday because we are skeptical about that.’
Hasnat mentioned that the status he gave on Facebook on Thursday night contained everything about the discussions with the higher officials of the army. In that status, Hasnat Abdullah wrote, "A plan is underway to bring a new conspiracy called 'Refined Awami League'. This plan is completely Indian. This plan is being prepared keeping Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Shirin Sharmin and Taposh in mind. Stating that such a plan was presented to Hasnat Abdullah and two others at the cantonment on March 11, he wrote, "We were offered to accept this proposal in exchange for a seat deal. We were told that this proposal has already been made to several political parties. They have agreed to rehabilitate the Awami League on a conditional basis. Isn't it better to have several opposition parties including a weak Awami League than to have one opposition party?"
In response to the question of why he went to the military base, Hasnat Abdullah said, "You know that currently the army has been given magisterial power. Many of us have questions about the law and order situation. We were called to talk about these issues. A few days ago, you saw a statement by the army chief, which I personally or many of us, have talked about in the country that it has been considered as inappropriate in the political sphere. The way the head of the interim government has been addressed, the inclusive elections that have been hinted at, and the Awami League has been discussed in general, I have gone for it.’
In response to a question from journalists whether they are currently feeling a security risk, Hasnat Abdullah said, ‘Look, before August 5, we had a movement with the students and the public. There was an anti-fascist force, an agency. The government was against us, then we repeatedly said that the fight is ongoing, that fight is still ongoing. As long as the anti-fascist political parties remain united, I do not feel any security risk.’
Regarding the demand to ban the Awami League, Hasnat said, ‘After August 5, have you seen anywhere that the Awami League has felt remorse? They have not even admitted that they are carrying out a genocide. We want to say clearly from our place, Awami League must first ensure justice, it must ensure justice as a party. It must admit the crime, then there may be any other discussion, no discussion before that.’
The leader of the National Citizen Party further said, ‘We said after August 5 that the name, brand and ideology of Awami League are irrelevant. If there is any attempt here from a foreign conspiracy or a domestic conspiracy or agency, in that case, we students are committed (committed), those who have been tortured, oppressed, murdered, their families, no reform of the Awami League cannot be allowed.’