Photo : BSS

DHAKA, Aug 01, 2026(BSS)-State Minister for Liberation War Affairs Ishraque Hossain today said that Sheikh Hasina's announcement of her return to Bangladesh is a ‘political posturing’. 

"The Awami League (AL) as a political party remained in power by exploiting the legacy of the Liberation War and promoting a personality cult,” he said this while addressing a mock parliament organized by the Debate for Democracy at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC) here as the chief guest.

Ishraque Hossain criticized the AL's political strategy, alleging that the party had abandoned democratic principles in favor of authoritarianism. Referring to the July killings, he said the AL had suffered as its ultimate political, social and moral defeat and asserted that the party had lost its international acceptability. 

He also alleged that although many members of the party had gone into hiding after Aug 5, their supporters continued to hold positions in the administration, business sector and cultural institutions.

Ishraque further said that the AL has no political future here and should not be rehabilitated in politics because of its responsibility for the July killings. 

He said the former Prime Minister's reported plan to return to Bangladesh in December as an attempt to energize party cadres, calling it as "political posturing."

He also alleged that the members of the AL leadership had left the country before the July uprising, describing the move as an act of cowardice. Ishraque urged all the forces involved in the mass uprising to remain united, warning that divisions could create an opportunity for the AL to regain influence. 

He said that unity among anti-authoritarian political forces is essential to preserve the spirit of the July movement and strengthening democracy.

Presiding over the event, Debate for Democracy Chairman Hasan Ahmed Chowdhury Kiron said the July uprising was the result of years of political movements led by opposition parties including the BNP, combined with the unified efforts of students and the public.

Kiron alleged that the ousted prime minister could not avoid responsibility for the July killings, claiming that each of the incident occurred with her approval.

The mock parliament debate was held under the motion, "The Awami League's social defeat is greater than its political defeat over responsibility for the July killings." The debating team from Bangladesh University of Business and Technology (BUBT) emerged as the champion after defeating the team from Gono Biswabiddlaya.

The judging panel included Professor Abu Muhammad Rais, Dr. S.M. Morshed, journalists Arifuzzaman Mamun, Maidur Rahman Rubel and Zakir Hossain Liton. Trophies, crests and certificates were presented to the participating teams following the competition.