AL not for 'excessive democracy'

Ruling Awami League (AL) Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim yesterday categorically said they believed in democracy, but not “excessive democracy”.

“The path followed in Malaysia by Mahathir Mohamad and marched forward, we will follow such democracy under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina,” he told a discussion in the capital's Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.

AL Dhaka city unit organised it marking AL President Hasina's homecoming day, being observed today. On this day in 1981, Hasina had returned home after six years in exile following the brutal murder of her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of her family members on August 15, 1975.

Nasim, also the health minister, said the AL does not believe in the democracy which legitimises killing of people through arson attacks and sheltering of Bangabandhu's killers.

“Awami League is a political party, not any Ramkrishna Mission and we will not sit idle when Khaleda Zia kills people with petrol bombs. We will contain bomb throwers with an iron hand,” he added.

“Khaleda Zia has tried to destroy the country and to do so observed a blockade for 92 days. But she faced debacles and returned home,” said AL senior leader and Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed.

“But those children and bus drivers and helpers who were injured in attacks failed to return home. They are undergoing treatment at burn units,” he added.

Another presidium member, Matia Chowdhury, also the agriculture minister, said Bangalee nationalism would not exist if the AL became weaker.