Dhaka — Bangladesh’s interim government has once again made clear that the Awami League will not be allowed to contest the national election scheduled for February, a position that appears to brush aside mounting international concern that excluding a major political party could undermine the credibility and inclusiveness of the vote.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam reaffirmed that the party remains barred from both political activity and electoral participation.
“Regarding the Awami League, our position is clear,” Alam said at a briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka. “The party’s activities remain suspended, and its registration as a political party continues to be cancelled.”
Alam made the remarks when asked about a letter sent earlier this week to Dr. Yunus by five members of the United States Congress, urging the interim administration to ensure “inclusive, free and fair elections.” He said he was unaware of the communication, adding that he had neither seen the letter nor knew its contents.
The letter, dated December 23, was written by Representatives Gregory W. Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Bill Huizenga, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove, chair and ranking member of the Subcommittee on South and Central Asia. Representatives Julie Johnson and Tom Suozzi were co-signatories. In the letter, the lawmakers voiced concern over what they described as the “total ban of a political party” ahead of the February polls and warned that such exclusion could damage democratic legitimacy and public trust in the electoral process.
Ban upheld amid mounting domestic unrest
The interim government’s reaffirmation comes at a time when Bangladesh has been grappling with prolonged political instability following the August 2024 upheaval that ended the tenure of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Since then, the country has witnessed repeated incidents of violence, attacks on political workers, and assaults on religious minorities, developments that have raised persistent questions about law and order under the transitional administration. Rights groups and journalists have reported incidents of mob violence, arson, and intimidation, while critics argue that accountability for such acts has remained limited.
Former member of parliament A F M Bahauddin Nasim, who also serves as joint general secretary of the Awami League, issued a scathing assessment of the current situation, accusing the Yunus-led government of presiding over a steady erosion of state authority.
“The Yunus government has taken Bangladesh to the brink of destruction through riots, killings, and the overall collapse of the rule of law,” Nasim told The Voice.
“Riots, destruction, arson, and killings are taking place across the country,” he said. “Members of the Awami League are being killed. Religious minorities are being targeted, and their homes are being set on fire. Ordinary citizens and political workers who voted for the Awami League are being singled out. This has been going on for the past 16 months. The purpose of this lawlessness is to push Bangladesh toward the edge of destruction.”
Allegations of shrinking freedoms
Nasim’s remarks come amid broader allegations that civic and democratic space has steadily narrowed since the interim administration took charge. Journalists’ organisations and civil society groups have warned of increasing pressure on media outlets, including threats, attacks, and efforts to influence editorial decisions.
He alleged that extremist elements were exploiting what he described as a vacuum in governance, operating with little restraint.
“In Bangladesh, fundamentalist and terrorist groups are rearing their heads,” Nasim said. “There is no rule of law. There is no effective administration. Democratic and fundamental rights are being denied. There is no freedom of speech, and there is no freedom of the press.”
Nasim left Bangladesh for India after the fall of the Awami League government in August 2024. He told The Voice that the turmoil has continued for more than a year, creating an atmosphere of fear and political exclusion that, he warned, could have lasting consequences for the country’s sovereignty and social cohesion.
Interim government under international scrutiny
The Yunus administration has maintained that the suspension of the Awami League is necessary to restore order and ensure accountability. Critics, however, argue that keeping a major political force out of the electoral process risks disenfranchising a significant segment of the electorate and transforming the election into a contest lacking genuine competition.
The letter from US lawmakers, though downplayed by the press secretary, underscores growing international unease over the trajectory of Bangladesh’s transition. Diplomatic observers note that elections held without the participation of a party that has governed the country for much of the past decade are likely to face questions over legitimacy, both at home and abroad.
As the February election draws closer, the interim government faces increasing pressure to demonstrate that the transition will lead to stability rather than deeper polarization. Whether Bangladesh can restore public confidence while excluding a major political party remains a central and unresolved question as the political crisis continues.
