Calling Awami League or Sheikh Hasina ‘Fascist’ is Profoundly Wrong: Bergman

Staff Correspondent

British journalist David Bergman criticized the trend of labeling Bangladesh’s Awami League as “Nazi” or “fascist” in his recent tweet. He argued that such language is not only incorrect but also legitimizes political oppression.

According to Bergman, the use of such terminology seeks to justify actions like banning a political party or imprisoning its supporters.

In his tweet, Bergman noted that until July 16, 2024, the Awami League’s governance was considered authoritarian, reflecting an extreme form of Bangladesh’s broader political culture. He stated that it was a continuation of the practices during the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) rule. Citing human rights organization Odhikar, Bergman pointed out that the average annual rate of extrajudicial killings was higher under BNP’s rule than under the Awami League. Yet, no one labels BNP as “fascist” or “Nazi.”

Bergman acknowledged that restrictions on freedom of speech and political organization were sometimes stricter under Awami League rule compared to BNP. However, he described this as a continuation of past governance practices.

He also mentioned that BNP would likely have rigged the 2008 elections had the military not intervened two years earlier.

While the events of July-August 2024 marked a significant departure from the past, Bergman argued that those three weeks, however brutal, are insufficient to justify calling Awami League “Nazi” or “fascist.”

Bergman further stated that labeling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a “dictator” or Awami League’s governance as “dictatorship” is also incorrect. Before Hasina’s fall, no neutral media outlets, such as AFP (where the current press secretary once worked), used such terms. These were considered overtly political language.

He added that if Sheikh Hasina were a dictator, she would have shut down independent media like The Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age, and entirely banned BNP and Jamaat.

Bergman emphasized that language should be based on truth and context to pave the way for justice and accountability. It should not be used to facilitate political repression.

Source: David Bergman’s tweet, May 24, 2025.