League returns the day 24 was pitted against 71: Mahfuj Alam

Former adviser to the interim government, Mahfuj Alam, stated that the Awami League re-entered politics when the day of the 24th was contrasted with the 71 by the anti-liberation forces. He shared this perspective in a Facebook post on Tuesday. He expressed, ‘The League is a theology before it is a political entity; faith has returned to that theology. Today, I will narrate the story of its return.’

Mahfuj Alam, who played a significant role in the July Uprising, noted, ‘The League retreated the day the 24th was set against the 71 by the forces opposed to independence. The League retreated on that day, as the people of the interim government began to support the rise of right-wing factions. The League retreated on the day when the oppressed, for the past 17 years, experienced the rule of mobs rather than the rule of law.’

He pointed out that the assaults on shrines and the silence regarding the oppression of Hindus also facilitated the Awami League's return, stating, ‘The League retreated on the day when extremists attacked shrines and expelled dissenters from mosques. The League retreated on the day the oppressed chose to remain silent about the persecution of Hindus.’

He posits that the apprehension of right-wing extremism's rise among secular individuals and the provision of refuge for extremists contributed to the Awami League's resurgence.

He remarked, ‘The League retreated on the day when those who believed in secular values were fearful of the government-sponsored right-wing extremism in this nation. The League retreated on the day when mobsters were celebrated as heroes in this country. Extremists were granted a safe haven.’

Mahfuj Alam, who served as an adviser to the interim government, contends that the various actions of the interim government also influenced this situation.'

He wrote, ‘The League retreated on the day when, instead of dismantling the system, the populace was isolated and disheartened under the guise of the Minimum Reforms and Consensus Commission. The League backed down on the day when the BNP and * went against the interim government and the interim government took Jamaat in its lap to stop BNP and *.’

Mahfuj Alam stated, 'The League retreated on the day when students, rather than evolving into revolutionary entities, transformed into clubs and mobs characterized by lumpen elements. The League retreated on the day when assaults were directed at media and cultural institutions. The League retreated on the day when the interim government shifted from a political to a bureaucratic stance, with decisions being made by the bureaucratic kitchen cabinet. Most members of this kitchen cabinet were secret agents of the Jamaat-BNP or the League. For them, July signified the safeguarding of their own families, generations, and institutions.'

Mahfuj Alam further noted, 'The League retreated on the day when Sanghtantra triumphed over democracy on campus. The League retreated on the day when the kitchen cabinet forged an alliance to obstruct the endorsement of new media. The League retreated on the day when the July declaration or charter process was delegated to the bureaucracy and vested interest groups. The League retreated on the day when the oppressed embraced the left-Shahbaghi patriotism.'

He also remarked, 'The League retreated on the day when the significant struggle against Bengali nationalism commenced in this nation, accompanied by a regressive cultural system such as Qawwali/Inquilabi culture. The League retreated on the day when reforms and justice were compromised through electoral division, becoming a bargaining chip for the BNP-Jamaat. The League retreated on the day when commissions, tribunals, universities, and similar entities were transformed into instruments for power acquisition by individuals with a specific ideology. The League retreated on the day when those who culturally and intellectually supported us in July were marginalized, while zero-contribution Guptas were empowered.'

Mahfuj Alam concluded his post by indicating that this list will continue to expand.