DHAKA, June 19 — Bangladesh’s political tensions are facing a new test ahead of the 77th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Awami League, as police authorities announce heightened nationwide security measures while the banned party prepares a series of commemorative programs across the country.
The confrontation developing around June 23 is about more than an anniversary celebration. It reflects a broader struggle over political participation, civil liberties, state power, and the future direction of Bangladesh’s democracy nearly two years after the political transition that followed the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024.
In a statement issued on June 19 marking its 77th founding anniversary, the Awami League announced a series of programs across the country. The programs include tributes at Dhanmondi-32, Banani Graveyard and Tungipara; prayers at mosques, temples, churches and pagodas; processions carrying national and party flags; poster campaigns; leaflet distribution; wall-writing; and virtual discussion meetings. The party also announced a nationwide protest program on July 1 against what it described as an illegal verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal against Sheikh Hasina.
At the same time, Police Headquarters has instructed law enforcement agencies nationwide to remain on high alert. A directive issued on June 18 to metropolitan police commissioners, range deputy inspectors general and district-level police officials warned that planned anniversary activities by supporters of the banned party could trigger confrontations with rival political groups.
According to the directive, Awami League activists may attempt to hoist party flags at local offices or organize processions carrying anniversary banners in different districts. Intelligence reports cited by police reportedly suggested that such activities could provoke clashes with activists affiliated with groups including the National Citizen Party (NCP) and Students Against Discrimination.
The warning places Bangladesh’s oldest political party at the center of a renewed debate over public order, constitutional rights and democratic inclusion. Founded on June 23, 1949, the Awami League led the Bengali nationalist movement that culminated in Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 and headed the wartime government-in-exile during the Liberation War. Yet today, the party’s activities remain prohibited under the Anti-Terrorism Act and its electoral registration remains suspended.
As a result, one of Bangladesh’s largest political constituencies remains effectively excluded from conventional political participation.
Speaking to reporters at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Media Centre on Minto Road on Friday, DMP Additional Commissioner for Crime and Operations S.N. Md Nazrul Islam said authorities were taking precautionary measures ahead of the anniversary.
“June 23 is the founding anniversary of a political party. We are on alert centring on the day,” he told journalists. He added that security checkpoints and police operations would continue as part of efforts to maintain public order.
In separate remarks, Nazrul Islam reiterated that police were maintaining a vigilant stance and would remain prepared to address any security challenges that might arise.
Ban Overshadows Historic Anniversary
The controversy surrounding the anniversary cannot be separated from the broader political developments that have reshaped Bangladesh over the past two years.
The ban on the Awami League was imposed by the interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus in May 2025 under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Authorities justified the move on national security grounds following sustained political pressure and street mobilization by Islamist and right-wing groups, including Jamaat-e-Islami.
The Awami League immediately rejected the decision.
“All decisions of the illegal government are illegal,” the party said after the ban was announced.
Shortly afterward, the Election Commission suspended the party’s registration, effectively preventing the Awami League from participating in elections unless both the ban and the registration freeze were lifted.
The political landscape shifted again in February 2026 when Bangladesh formally returned to elected rule following parliamentary elections held after the resignation of the Yunus-led interim government. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, secured victory in an election that proceeded without the participation of the Awami League. BNP’s long-time ally Jamaat-e-Islami subsequently emerged as the principal opposition force in Parliament.
The absence of the country’s historically largest political party from the electoral process drew criticism from various observers. A June 2026 report by the Congressional Research Service noted that some analysts questioned whether an election conducted without the participation of the Awami League could be regarded as fully credible.
The restrictions were later reinforced when Parliament amended the Anti-Terrorism Act in April 2026, effectively transforming the interim government’s executive ban into permanent statutory law.
Arrests and Flash Processions Continue
The anniversary dispute unfolds amid a continuing series of arrests and confrontations involving Awami League supporters and affiliated organizations.
Since early 2026, law enforcement agencies have repeatedly moved against flash processions and symbolic public gatherings organized by party activists.
On March 26, police arrested five people after a brief Awami League procession near the BTRC building in Agargaon, Dhaka. Police reported that approximately 15 to 20 individuals had participated before officers intervened.
On April 25, authorities arrested seven leaders and activists of the banned Bangladesh Chhatra League after three separate flash processions in Chattogram. According to police, one procession lasted only seconds before officers arrived at the scene.
A month later, on May 22, police arrested 32 people in Dhanmondi and Sher-e-Bangla Nagar who were allegedly preparing to organize processions connected to Chhatra League and Jubo League activities.
On June 1, more than 100 Chhatra League activists reportedly organized a flash procession at Chattogram’s GEC intersection, chanting “Joy Bangla” and “Sheikh Hasina will return.” Police later announced investigations aimed at identifying participants.
On June 9, a group of 61 lawyers identified as pro-Awami League formed a human chain outside the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court. Participants alleged they had faced imprisonment during the interim administration and demanded the withdrawal of cases filed against lawyers affiliated with the party.
Police arrested another 14 Chhatra League leaders and activists in Banani on June 14 while they were allegedly preparing to organize a procession. Authorities subsequently filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Most recently, on June 18, police detained four people, including a woman, following a flash procession in Mohakhali demanding the lifting of the ban on Awami League activities. Participants reportedly carried banners and chanted “Joy Bangla.” Police later alleged that crude explosive devices had been detonated during the demonstration.
Taken together, these incidents reveal a recurring pattern: brief public appearances by Awami League supporters are followed by police intervention, arrests and criminal proceedings. Supporters of the party argue that ordinary political expression has effectively been criminalized, while authorities maintain that enforcement actions are necessary to uphold the law and prevent disorder.
Rights Groups Raise Concerns
The restrictions imposed on the Awami League have drawn concern from international human rights organizations and democratic governance observers.
The United Nations human rights office urged Bangladeshi authorities to refrain from political party bans that would undermine a return to a genuine multi-party democracy and effectively disenfranchise a large part of the electorate.
Amnesty International similarly questioned whether the prohibition was consistent with internationally recognized rights to freedom of association, assembly and expression, arguing that the ban raised concerns about the authorities’ commitment to democratic freedoms.
The debate over political rights has unfolded alongside wider concerns regarding minority security, mob violence and media freedom.
Following the political transition of August 2024, attacks were reported against Awami League offices, homes of party leaders, murals of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other symbols associated with the country’s founding movement. The Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32, one of the nation’s most significant historical landmarks, was vandalized and set on fire.
Minority communities also faced serious challenges during the transition period. Reports documented attacks on Hindu homes, businesses and temples across multiple districts after the change in government.
Media freedom advocates likewise expressed concern over legal proceedings against journalists. Local and international press freedom organizations reported that more than 500 journalists faced coercive actions after the political transition, including attacks, criminal cases and detentions.
Anniversary Becomes a Test of Political Rights
The approaching anniversary therefore carries significance far beyond a single political event.
For Awami League supporters, the programs represent an attempt to demonstrate that the party remains politically relevant despite legal restrictions and institutional exclusion. For the government and law enforcement agencies, the anniversary presents a challenge in balancing public security concerns with constitutional guarantees and international commitments regarding civil liberties. For rights advocates, it raises a broader question: can accountability for alleged abuses be pursued without criminalizing peaceful political identity or permanently excluding a major political constituency from public life?
The answer may depend heavily on how authorities respond in the coming days.
Police unquestionably have a responsibility to prevent violence, protect citizens and stop any attempt to use public gatherings as cover for unlawful activities. Yet they also bear an obligation to safeguard peaceful assembly, ensure equal application of the law and prevent attacks by rival political groups.
A heavy-handed response to peaceful commemorative activities could reinforce allegations of political persecution. Conversely, any failure to prevent violence by opponents of the Awami League would raise questions about the state’s willingness to protect citizens regardless of political affiliation.
Bangladesh’s political history offers repeated lessons about the risks of excluding major political forces from public life. While critics continue to hold the Awami League responsible for abuses during its years in power, the party also remains closely connected to the country’s independence movement and retains substantial support across the country. Accountability for alleged crimes, many observers argue, should be based on evidence, individual responsibility and due process rather than collective punishment of millions of supporters and voters.
The founding anniversary alone will not resolve Bangladesh’s political crisis. However, it may provide an important indication of whether the country’s institutions can uphold public order while respecting political freedoms. As June 23 approaches, Bangladesh faces a choice that extends beyond a single anniversary. The challenge is not simply to maintain security. It is to demonstrate that democratic renewal can coexist with political pluralism, civil liberties and equal treatment under the law.
How police, political actors and the government conduct themselves in the coming days may shape not only the future of the Awami League but also public confidence in Bangladesh’s democratic trajectory.
