Dhaka– In a dramatic escalation of political tensions, Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has officially banned all activities of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s political party, the Awami League, along with its affiliated organizations. The decision, announced Monday via a government gazette, cites provisions under the recently amended Anti-Terrorism Act.
The ban, confirmed by Joint Secretary Ziauddin Ahmed of the Home Ministry’s Public Security Division, prohibits the Awami League from engaging in any form of public or political activity—including publications, media appearances, social media activity, processions, meetings, and conferences—until the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) completes its trials against the party and its top leaders.
“The government has sufficient evidence that the Bangladesh Awami League and all its associated, subsidiary, and fraternal organizations are engaged in activities aimed at destabilizing the state and spreading public fear, mirroring the behavior of terrorist organizations,” the gazette notification stated.
Among the banned affiliates are the Bangladesh Chhatra League (its student wing, already designated a terrorist organization in October 2024), as well as the Bangladesh Mahila League, Awami Jubo League, Swecchashebok League, Awami Ainjibee Parishad, Bangladesh Tanti League, and the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad.
The sweeping ban follows Sunday’s presidential ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act to allow the government to prohibit not just individuals and entities linked to terrorism, but also to suspend their activities entirely—a power not previously included in the law. According to local daily Prothom Alo, this legal shift now gives the interim administration broad authority to suppress any organization it deems threatening to national security.
Earlier Monday, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin responded to questions about the political implications of the ban, particularly regarding the Awami League’s eligibility to contest in future elections. “You can’t make decisions based on media reports,” he said. “Once the gazette is issued, we will sit and decide.”
The decision to outlaw one of the country’s oldest and most influential political parties comes amid increasing unrest. Over the past week, student groups, hardline Islamist factions, and members of the newly formed National Citizen Party held demonstrations in Dhaka demanding an immediate ban on the Awami League. Protesters staged sit-ins near the Chief Advisor’s residence and later converged in Shahbagh, a politically symbolic area in the capital.
Political analysts have described the ban as part of a broader campaign by the Yunus-led interim government to sideline Hasina and her allies ahead of national elections. Hasina’s abrupt removal from office last August was widely condemned by the international community as a blow to Bangladesh’s democratic institutions. Since then, the interim administration has come under fire for aligning itself with radical Islamic groups and suppressing opposition voices.
Critics warn that the latest move to outlaw the Awami League represents a serious erosion of democratic norms in Bangladesh, with many viewing it as politically motivated retribution rather than a legitimate counter-terrorism measure. The long-term implications for the country’s electoral process and political stability remain uncertain. (Source: IANS)
