Dhaka, Dec. 24 -- Bangladeshi journalist Muktadir Rashid said that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 'Bangladesh Awami League' can field independent candidates despite a ban on the party ahead of the elections in the country.

In an interview with ANI on Wednesday, Rashid termed the ban on Awami League as a "revenge attempt" from Jamaat-e-Islami.

"I think it's a revenge attempt by Jamaat. Jamaat was behind this ban because of what happened after the 1971 war. The Jamaat was banned in Bangladesh for around 15 years," he said.

"We want a change in Bangladesh. We want to have a new Bangladesh, and this is only possible through the elections. And Awami League should feel and repent for this unless they themselves say, We made mistakes, ...