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The interim government’s Home Advisor M Sakhawat Hussain has suggested that the Awami League that lost power in a popular uprising should reorganise instead of "stirring up trouble".
Speaking at a meeting with leaders of the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance at the Secretariat on Monday, he also advised Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina, who has fled to India, to return to Bangladesh, reports bdnews24.com.
“Stay well and come back. We all respect you. But causing chaos will not benefit anyone. It will only further anger people.”
Addressing AL leaders, he said: “Awami League is a major political party. It has many capable leaders; I can name them right now.”
“At one time, this was a secular party for the Bengalis. The upper-class Bengalis were with the Muslim League, while the middle class supported the Awami League.”
“It was a party of such a large number of people, led by the person who brought independence to this country—there’s no doubt about it. No one should have any doubt.”
“He [Sheikh Mujibur Rahman] led the fight for independence, and the Liberation War was fought in his name.”
“The party that led our independence should not fall apart like this. Those hiding now should come forward and reorganise. No one has banned your party.”
“Reorganise the party with new faces and fresh commitments, through the political act,” he added.
He also warned Hasina against trying to create trouble "through others, saying ‘I’m coming, I’m going’".
"This is your country, why wouldn’t you return? Who’s stopping you? No one has lost their citizenship.”
“You served as prime minister for 21 years, you left voluntarily—no one asked you to leave. You left on your own accord,” Sakhawat said.