Ishraque terms Hasina’s claim to return as ‘political deception’

State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain on Saturday described former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's reported announcement of returning to Bangladesh in December as a "political deception".

He said the statement was intended to boost the morale of Awami League supporters.

Speaking as the chief guest at a shadow parliament debate titled "Taking Responsibility for the July Killings" at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC), Ishraque said the Awami League had pursued an erroneous political strategy by abandoning democracy in favour of what he described as fascism.

"The Awami League suffered its ultimate political, social and moral defeat during the July massacre. The announcement of Sheikh Hasina's return in December is merely a political ploy to energise party activists," he said.

He alleged that the party had remained in power by exploiting the legacy of the Liberation War and promoting the cult of a single individual.

Ishraque argued that political success cannot be measured solely by election results, saying politics also depends on state power, cultural and economic influence, international lobbying, soft power and public acceptance.

Referring to the 2014, 2018 and 2024 national elections, he said that although the outcomes favored the Awami League, they could not be regarded as genuine political achievements. According to him, the party's shift from democracy toward authoritarianism was its fundamental political mistake.

The state minister claimed the Awami League had no realistic prospect of political rehabilitation following the July killings, adding that it could only regain political relevance under extraordinary circumstances involving major national instability.

Questioning Sheikh Hasina's reported plan to return in December, he said, "If she intends to come back, why not return tomorrow instead of waiting until December?"

He also claimed that while the Awami League had lost much of its political relevance, it still retained influence in sectors such as business and culture, underscoring the need for continued political vigilance.

Ishraque further warned that divisions among political forces that supported the July mass uprising could create opportunities for the Awami League to regain political ground, and said such opportunities should not be allowed.

Commenting on the departure of Awami League leaders from the country, he alleged that they had fled after realising defeat was inevitable, leaving grassroots activists behind, which he described as an act of political cowardice.

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The event was chaired by Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron, chairman of Debate for Democracy.

In the shadow parliament debate titled "The Awami League's Social Defeat Over the July Killings Is Greater Than Its Political Defeat," debaters from the Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) emerged victorious over the team from Gono Bishwabidyalay.

The competition was judged by Professor Abu Muhammad Rais, Dr SM Morshed, journalists Arifuzzaman Mamun, Maidur Rahman Rubel and Zakir Hossain Liton.

Trophies, crests and certificates were presented to the participating teams at the end of the event.