Months after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh is eagerly awaiting new elections that will produce a new government that could take over from the interim administration led by Muhammed Yunus.

The interim leader and Nobel laureate pledged to carry out “vital reforms” and then hold a free, fair and inclusive vote in the South Asian country.

But despite pledges of inclusion, many Bangladeshis are deeply resentful of Hasina’s Awami League (AL) and oppose the prospect of it returning to the country’s politics like any other major party.

Hasina’s opponents blame the ousted leader for the deadly violence that claimed hundreds of lives earlier this year.

At least some members of the interim Cabinet seem to share that sentiment. The Yunus-led government is still engaged in dialogue with major parties to ensure fair elections, but has said it will exclude groups it labels “fascist” or allied with such factions.

In October, the office of the interim government’s chief adviser announced that authorities would prevent AL and similar parties from engaging in political activities. Later, the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser said they would put obstacles in front of Hasina’s party, and in late October, the Yunus government banned AL’s youth wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), and labeled it as a “terrorist organization”.

Interim leaders were under pressure from all sides

Yunus’ government relies on a broad but fragile alliance of various political parties, minority groups and student protesters who have borne the brunt of political violence. With the election date yet to be decided, they cannot afford to alienate any part of their base, especially the masses who pushed the Hasina government.

The extent of anti-AL anger was highlighted once again when the office of their coalition partner, the Jatiya Party, was torched in late October. And this weekend, activists from the BNP party – AL’s main rival – joined supporters of the Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and student protesters to violently disrupt an AL rally in Dhaka.

At the same time, however, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul criticized signals coming from the caretaker government about banning Hasina’s party.

“Why exclude Awami League from elections if we really aim for democracy?” he asked.

Does Yunus speak for the people?

Political scientist Sabbir Ahmed told DW that the caretaker government is interpreting terms like “level playing field for fair elections” in ways that serve its own interests.

“This government, which took power without a popular mandate, does not represent the will of the people,” he told DW, pointing out that the July-August uprising was largely urban-focused.

“Irrespective of what the caretaker government stands for, it cannot establish a democratic environment for a fair electoral contest if it excludes the Awami League,” he added.

AL eager to move forward

Unsurprisingly, Hasina’s allies also oppose statements suggesting their ban. Former foreign minister Hasan Mahmud told DW that the AL is keen to cooperate with other political parties to ensure a peaceful transition to democracy, adding that Bangladesh must eliminate the politics of hate, denial and revenge.

He also accused the interim government of postponing the election without proper justification, apparently seeking to retaliate against AL.

“Excluding the Awami League – which is supported by almost half the population – from the elections would not attract an inclusive process,” he added. “Such an election would likely face pushback from the public and the international community.”

Germany wants an investigation, then a reconciliation

Meanwhile, signals outside Bangladesh also seem to indicate a desire for domestic rapprochement. Last week, the German ambassador Achim Tröster said The Daily Stara Bangladeshi newspaper in English, that reconciliation would be necessary for a peaceful future.

“What he needs is to change his mind and banish the shadows of a bloody and vengeful past,” he said.

At the same time, he recognized that reconciliation would not be possible without the investigation and recognition of the truth about the deadly disorders.

“In order to reach reconciliation, we need to hear the word apology and apologies for the crimes and mistakes that were committed. I may be wrong, but so far, unfortunately, I have not heard it here,” the German diplomat added.

Center-right BJP chief Andaleeve Rahman also told DW that AL owes the public an apology.

“Hasina’s party is facing a leadership crisis and can only move forward in politics if it accepts responsibility and expresses remorse for the deaths during the July-August revolution,” he said.

Commenting on the recent arson of the Jatiya Party’s political office, he described it as unacceptable but said Hasina’s allies deserve the public backlash they are currently facing as they too have betrayed the people.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru