The Bangladesh Army has rejected Hasnat Abdullah’s explosive claim that the army chief suggested rehabilitating a "refined" Awami League, calling it "absolutely laughable," according to a report by Sweden-based Netra News.
The report confirms that a meeting did take place between Hasnat, a key leader of the National Citizen Party (NCP), and the army chief, General Waker-uz-Zaman. However, the army firmly denies that Hasnat was pressured into accepting any deal regarding Awami League’s rehabilitation.
Netra News further states that both Hasnat and Sarjis Alam, another prominent figure in the July uprising, were not “summoned” to the cantonment. Instead, the army asserts that the meeting occurred at their own request, as the two had long sought a "courtesy meeting" with General Waker-uz-Zaman.
Hasnat, who currently serves as the chief organiser of Bangladesh South for the NCP, posted on Facebook around 2 AM on Friday, alleging a conspiracy to rehabilitate Awami League at India’s behest. He claimed that a "refined" version of the party would be led by former minister Saber Hossain Chowdhury, ex-parliament speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, and former Dhaka mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh. These leaders, Hasnat alleged, would publicly renounce Sheikh Hasina’s legacy in exchange for seat-sharing agreements in the next parliament.
His post quickly went viral in Bangladesh, attracting hundreds of thousands of reactions, comments, and shares, with many praising him for openly challenging the military.
According to Netra News, the army statement clarifies that Sarjis Alam himself phoned the military adviser to the army chief to arrange the meeting. The two were reportedly asked to come to army headquarters and waited at Sena Bhaban, where General Waker-uz-Zaman met them after concluding his official duties.
The statement further asserts that the army chief merely "offered his opinion" that Awami League leaders without criminal charges should be allowed to participate in politics, emphasizing that he regarded the young activists "like his sons."
"This was by no means a matter of summoning them or pressuring them regarding Awami League’s rehabilitation," the statement reads, as reported by Netra News.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) has yet to respond to the media's request for comments.
