Sarjis Alam, the chief organizer of the National Citizen’s Party’s northern region, has denied serious allegations that Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman pressured the party to reinstate the Awami League. He also opposed a Facebook post by Hasnat Abdullah, made after a meeting with the Army Chief on March 11.

Hasnat’s recent post regarding the military has sparked political debates. In response, Sarjis posted his perspective today, offering corrections, additions, and omissions to Hasnat’s post.

Sarjis explained that on the day of the meeting, he and Hasnat went to meet the Army Chief, along with another key party member who couldn’t attend due to personal reasons. He clarified that they were not invited to the military base but had communicated with the Army Chief’s military advisor as needed.

Sarjis shared his view of the Army Chief’s comments on the BDR carnage anniversary, stating that he did not perceive them as a “proposal” but rather an “expression of opinion.” While the Army Chief’s language seemed more direct and harsh compared to previous instances, Sarjis did not think there was any attempt to “pressure” the Awami League to return. He noted that the Army Chief’s remarks were focused on the long-term political stability of the country and the potential challenges political parties could face.

Sarjis further clarified the conversation, stating that the Army Chief did not express anger when speaking about experience and wisdom, but rather shared his thoughts in a senior-to-junior tone. He also disagreed with the narrative of “Hasnat vs Waker” and emphasized that confronting the Bangladesh Army and political parties was never relevant.

While he acknowledged that Hasnat might have a different stance, Sarjis emphasized that discussions with the Army should remain private to ensure trust. He stated that though they disagreed on some points, they could have discussed these internally within their party. Sarjis also expressed that public statements, such as Hasnat’s Facebook post, were not the appropriate way to handle internal party matters as it could lead to trust issues with other stakeholders in the future.

Sarjis concluded that despite differences, their commitment to fight against any version of the Awami League’s return to power would remain unwavering.