Ruling BNP outreach to major 2024 protest parties timed before Hasina’s return?

New Delhi, Nov 5 (IANS) Dhaka’s ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is planning talks with political parties that joined the 2024 protests against the then Muhammad Yunus-led interim government to “preserve unity” among anti-Awami League forces, a media report said on Thursday, where the time appears to coincide with that stated as probable return of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina from exile.

More than 40 parties that participated in the stir resulting in the fall of the Awami League government may be invited for talks “amid growing differences over various political issues”, according to Bangladesh’s ‘The Business Standard’.

The talks may take place in late November or December, the report said, adding, “Differences over various issues, particularly before and after the national election, have widened the distance.”

It also pointed out that the Prime Minister Tarique Rahman-led BNP will not invite parties affiliated with the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance.

The Jamaat, which has registered its best performance in the recent general elections, leads an Opposition alliance in the Bangladesh Parliament.

Consultations are expected to focus on the BNP’s 31-point reform agenda, constitutional changes, implementation of the July Charter, local government election plans, and broader cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Awami League, which previously dominated Bangladeshi politics, was barred from participating in the elections following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina in the 2024 demonstrations.

Hasina, the former Prime Minister, has announced a possible return home in December despite facing a death sentence and multiple legal cases following her ouster from power and subsequent exile in India.

On several occasions, she told the media from an unknown location, speaking virtually, that she intends to return alongside other senior Awami League leaders and surrender before a court, adding that the charges against her are “politically motivated”.

Observers note that her proposed return could become a major turning point in Bangladesh’s politics, potentially reigniting debates over the future of the banned Awami League, the government’s accountability campaign, and the country’s broader political stability.

Against this backdrop, BNP’s proposed initiative to “resolve misunderstandings through discussions with partners” is being seen as its leaders viewing the talks as necessary to prevent fragmentation within the anti-Awami League camp.

The ruling party thinks the Awami League is continuing conspiracies and alleged that Jamaat, too, is involved in it.

Interestingly, the Jamaat has shared power at different times with either party but has of late chosen to carve a separate path.

Against this backdrop, the issue of Sheikh Hasina’s potential return has emerged as a major political variable.

An earlier article in bdnews24.com mentioned the various schools of thought in Bangladesh over Sheikh Hasina’s proposed return.

While Awami League leaders have no doubt about it, the BNP government doubts her voluntary return, the article opined, adding that according to the government spokesman, extradition followed by hanging is the only path open to Hasina.

“For observers watching from the sidelines, there is plenty of room for doubt. For some, Hasina may well return but certain conditions would have to be met first, such as negotiations with the government to ensure security and right of appeal,” it said.

While for others, the threat of immediate hanging without a right of appeal sounds less like a credible legal path, and more like a ploy to deter Hasina from attempting to return, it added.

Though no official roadmap for handling her arrival has yet been publicly disclosed, repeated extradition requests, ongoing legal proceedings, and heightened political debate indicate that state institutions are preparing for the possibility that Hasina could attempt to re-enter the country.

The coming weeks could therefore prove decisive for Bangladesh, where the BNP is seeking to reinforce unity among its allies, Jamaat is building its own political network, and Sheikh Hasina continues to insist that she will return despite the legal and political risks.

–IANS

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