Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has banned all political activities of the Awami League, the country’s former ruling party, citing national security under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The ban, announced late Saturday, prohibits both online and offline operations of the party. It comes amid ongoing trials over last year’s deadly protests, which saw hundreds of students and civilians killed in July and August during mass demonstrations against then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to Asif Nazrul, legal adviser to the interim administration, the prohibition will remain until a special tribunal—empowered to prosecute political parties—concludes the trials. The Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal has been tasked with handling the proceedings.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), long-time rival of the Awami League, had earlier opposed such a ban. However, senior BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed welcomed the move, calling it a “delayed but necessary” step to hold the former ruling party accountable.
The Awami League responded on social media, accusing the government of eroding democratic principles and promoting societal division. The party alleged that recent protests demanding its ban were “state-sponsored” and orchestrated to suppress dissent.
Sheikh Hasina, who has been in exile in India since August 2024, faces murder accusations alongside senior party leaders related to the crackdown on protesters.
In February, the UN Human Rights Office reported that as many as 1,400 people may have died during the three-week uprising that ultimately ended Hasina’s 15-year tenure. The report urged authorities to avoid political bans that could undermine democratic plurality.
With Bangladesh at a political crossroads, the BNP has demanded clear timelines for elections. The interim government has suggested that national elections may take place in December 2025 or mid-2026, depending on progress in political reforms.
