Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organizer (Southern Region) of Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) has issued a stark warning against growing tendencies to grant military forces political arbitration powers, drawing parallels to Bangladesh's troubled history of military intervention.
Hasnat expressed deep concerns about what he termed a "subconscious tendency" emerging within political circles.
"Historically, BNP has suffered from military interference in politics. We haven't forgotten 1/11 or torture of Tarique Rahman," Hasnat declared in his verified Facebook post on Thursday afternoon.
His reference to 1/11 relates to military-backed caretaker government that assumed power in 2007, marking a dark chapter in Bangladesh's democratic journey.
Hasnat launched a fierce defence of NCP against mounting criticism, dismissing allegations that party opposes elections as a deliberate smear campaign.
He accused multiple fronts of orchestrating rumours about student advisers clinging to power, describing these claims as part of coordinated efforts to damage party's reputation.
Drawing attention to recent clarifications, Abdullah referenced 21 May press conference where NCP Convenor Nahid Islam outlined party's election stance. "We supported timeframe of December to June given by Chief Adviser. Elections can happen within this window, but we've also called for justice and reform during this period," he quoted Islam as saying.
Hasnat reinforced this position by citing Student Adviser Mahfuz Alam's 10 May statement that "elections will be held between December and June." This six-month window represents crucial period for both electoral preparations and institutional reforms, according to party leadership.
Questioning logic behind recent protests, Abdullah challenged demands for resignation of two key advisors who led 2024 uprising. "Calling for resignation of those who led uprising and are now part of interim government doesn't make sense," he argued, highlighting apparent contradiction in protesters' demands.
While affirming military's role as "vigilant guardian of sovereignty and independence," Abdullah drew clear lines regarding political interference. He pledged support for armed forces during national emergencies but firmly rejected their involvement in democratic processes that emerged from 2024 uprising.
"We reject political interference in democratic uprising of 2024, which was born out of desire for free elections and smooth power transition. We must be wary of those paving way for another 1/11," Hasnat warned, emphasising lessons from Bangladesh's political history.
NCP leader expressed gratitude towards allies in movement to ban Awami League whilst urging all political parties to maintain unity in demanding justice and state reform.
He cautioned against squandering hopes raised by 2024 uprising for short-term political gains, describing such actions as potential "historic failure."
Hasnat concluded with rallying call for anti-hegemonic and anti-fascist forces to unite against both foreign interference and domestic conspiracies.
"Let us not fall into division and give others chance to execute their agendas. We must not allow outsiders to jeopardise our democratic future," he declared, emphasising need for sustained cooperation to build "stable, democratic, and prosperous Bangladesh."
The warning carries particular weight given Hasnat's prominent role in recent political developments and his party's influence within student movement that catalyzed the current interim government arrangement.
NRE/SH
