Awami League has become a Facebook-based protest party: Press Secretary

Bangladesh Awami League has now essentially become a 'Facebook-based protest party', said Shafiqul Alam, the press secretary to the chief adviser.

He said: "We now know the limits of the BAL’s capacity — and they are quite small."

Shafiqul Alam made these comments in his Facebook post on Saturday morning.

He wrote in his Facebook post: "The Bangladesh Awami League often claims it has a vast grassroots network capable of disrupting any vote. However, the events of the last few days have shown the practical limits of what the party can actually mobilize."

Adding that Awami League has increasingly become a group reliant on small groups of hired Tokai troublemakers who can burn abandoned buses, organise brief 30-second long “jhatika misil,” or attempt social-media-driven AI shutdowns, he further wrote: "In effect, the BAL has turned into a Facebook-based protest outfit, with little real organisational strength on the ground."

"My long-held observation remains valid: its grassroots have either dissipated or been absorbed by rival parties. Given this reality, I see little chance of the AL causing any disruptions during the election," he added.

Regarding BNP's election policy, he stated: "BNP nomination announcement passes off peacefully. There had been widespread fear that chaos would erupt the moment the BNP announced its list of parliamentary candidates.

"Many expected that hundreds of rebel aspirants would reject the party’s decisions and stage protests, possibly even clashing with supporters of the officially endorsed nominees. Yet, aside from one or two minor incidents, the announcement went ahead remarkably smoothly."

He further wrote: "It is clear that the BNP leadership did their homework well. The broad acceptance of the nominations indicates that intra-party clashes during the campaign and election period will be minimal."

Claiming that police, security forces, and local administrations are now more organised, he said: " The noticeable stabilisation of law and order in recent months reflects a renewed confidence among the police, security forces, and local administration — including DCs, SPs, UNOs, and OCs. Some of the most capable officers have been tasked with overseeing the election process. I am confident they will deliver the orderly election that the nation hopes for."