Thousands of people gathered in central Dhaka on Monday to pay their final respects to Awami League veteran Tofail Ahmed, defying a ban on the party led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The crowd chanted "Joy Bangla," a slogan from the 1971 Liberation War closely associated with the Awami League.
Tofail Ahmed's Legacy
Tofail Ahmed, an eight-time Member of Parliament, former minister, and a prominent figure in Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, passed away at a hospital in Dhaka on Monday at 3:30 PM. He was 82 years old. The gathering took place in the Dhanmondi area of Dhaka.
Political Significance
Many in Dhaka's political circles believe that the large turnout not only indicates the support that Sheikh Hasina still commands but also suggests that a "reformed or refined" Awami League may be emerging. The crowd raised slogans in support of both Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and former Prime Minister Hasina, who has been sentenced to death in absentia on charges of crimes against humanity.
Speculation on Awami League's Revival
Speculation about the possibility of the Awami League gradually regaining support was triggered after a former adviser to the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government claimed that the interim government's minimal reforms, inaction over the persecution of minorities, and its "embracing" of the hardline Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami in order to contain the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have paved the way for the Awami League to "effectively" return to Bangladesh's political arena.
Resignation of Minister Dipen Dewan
In a separate development, Dipen Dewan, one of two ministers from minority communities in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's administration, resigned from the cabinet on Monday, citing health concerns. Dewan, who served as the Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs minister, is a Buddhist and a prominent tribal figure. He stated that his deteriorating health made it increasingly difficult for him to fulfill his responsibilities effectively.
Nitai Roy Chowdhury, a Hindu, is the other minority community minister in the Rahman cabinet, serving as the cultural affairs minister. In his resignation letter, Dewan (62) mentioned that his physical condition was creating obstacles to the regular execution of his ministerial duties.
