Now whom did Sarjis-Hasnat hint to fight against?

Tensions escalated in Bangladesh‍‍`s political landscape as the recent developments hint at an imminent confrontation among the army, the interim government, and student activists.

On March 20, during a meeting with representatives from the International Crisis Group, Chief Advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus made it clear that there are no plans to ban the Awami League from politics.

However, he emphasized that those involved in murder and crimes against humanity would be held accountable and brought to justice.

In the wee hours of the following morning, Hasnat Abdullah, a young leader, sparked fresh controversy by alleging that efforts were underway to rehabilitate the Awami League in politics.

According to Hasnat, strategies were being devised from within the cantonment to bring back a "refined Awami League," led by figures like Saber Hossain Chowdhury, Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, and Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh.

However, Hasnat‍‍`s accusations, shared through a Facebook post around midnight, quickly went viral. In no time, protests erupted at Dhaka University, with students demanding an immediate ban on the Awami League. They also announced that they would stage a demonstration the following day

Later, on March 21, more protests were announced, with many calling for demonstrations after Friday prayers.

Adding fuel to the fire, a video featuring Asif Mahmud, another advisor of the interim government, circulated widely on social media. 

In the video, Asif claimed that the Chief of Army Staff, General Waqar Uz-Zaman, had initially opposed Dr. Yunus’ appointment as the chief advisor of the interim government, arguing that Yunus, being a “convicted person,” was not fit to lead. Despite his

Asif Mahmud, in the video, was seen stating, “General Waqar clearly said that the Awami League did not want Yunus, so making him the head of the government wasn’t the right move. He even said that he accepted this decision with a heavy heart.”

Following the release of this video, another young political leader Sarjis Alam posted on social media: “We are ready for the second phase of battle. This fight will continue until the Awami League, responsible for genocide, is banned.”

Now the question comes: Who is the second phase of the battle against? Who are the targets of these young revolutionaries now?

As Hasnat’s post spread across social media, protests against the army and interim government grew more intense at Dhaka University and other university campuses. Late at night, a rally at the Raju Memorial Sculpture on the campus called for banning the Awami League and condemned the military‍‍`s alleged interference in politics.

The following day, various political groups joined the protests, staging demonstrations across Dhaka after Friday prayers. 

One rally in Uttara saw demonstrators chanting, “Waqar or Hasnat? Hasnat! Hasnat!” in front of military personnel. 
 

Also, separate protests were held across Dhaka University, including one under the banner of "General Students of Dhaka University." At a rally, the protesters announced to formation of a platform named "Gonohottyakari Awami League Nishidhhwo Mancha

This platform vowed to continue protests until the Awami League is banned from politics.

Meanwhile, in the midst of these escalating tensions, Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, said in his verified Facebook account that people will not accept the attempts to rehabilitate Awami League in politics.  

However, the BNP’s Senior Joint Secretary General, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, at a programme in the capital said: “The Awami League is an old party. If the criminals are held accountable, and if the people give them the chance to return to politics, we have nothing to say. If the person leading the Awami League is free of crimes—no killings of students, no embezzlement or money laundering—why wouldn’t they be allowed to do politics? That’s my position.”

Amid tensions, security forces have increased patrols across the capital to prevent any escalation. Joint forces have been deployed across Dhaka, with a visible increase in military personnel on the streets. 

Special checkpoints have been set up, particularly around sensitive areas such as Baitul Mukarram, Press Club, Shahbagh, and Paltan, in preparation for any potential unrest.

The current political situation in Bangladesh is at a critical transition, with increasing tensions between the military, the interim government, and student activists. 

How this three-way tug-of-battle will evolve remains uncertain, but the coming days could see significant developments as the political landscape continues to shift.