An international human-rights organization has sounded the alarm over Bangladesh’s deteriorating political climate, urging the United Nations to intervene after the interim government imposed a sweeping ban on the Awami League, the country’s largest and historically most influential political party.
Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), a rights group active in Europe, submitted a detailed complaint to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and of Association. The complaint describes the interim authority’s decision to outlaw Awami League activities and suspend its Election Commission registration as an “unprecedented assault on democratic rights.”
According to JMBF, the ban—enforced on May 12 under the Anti-Terrorism Act by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government—has effectively paralyzed Awami League’s political machinery. Party meetings, rallies, publications, online communications, and any political expression by supporters have been shut down, preventing the party from participating in the scheduled February 2026 general election.
The rights body argues that such measures constitute a direct violation of fundamental political freedoms, including the rights of association, peaceful assembly, expression, and participation in elections. The group warns that the suppression of an entire political party—one that has governed Bangladesh for more than a decade under Sheikh Hasina—marks a dangerous step toward authoritarian rule.
A sweeping crackdown on Awami League supporters
JMBF highlights what it calls a campaign of mass persecution against Awami League members and sympathizers. Independent monitoring has reportedly recorded more than 350,000 politically motivated cases filed against individuals associated with the party, with at least 130,000 arrests carried out since the fall of the previous government.
Operations such as “Operation Devil Hunt,” along with aggressive police raids and nationwide surveillance of Awami League gatherings, have created a pervasive climate of fear. Activists say peaceful rallies, student meetings, and even small community assemblies have been met with harassment, detention, or charges under newly amended counterterrorism provisions.
The interim government has repeatedly defended its actions by citing national security and ongoing trials at the International Crimes Tribunal. But critics insist these justifications serve as a thin veil for politically charged repression aimed at eliminating the country’s most powerful secular political force.
Anti-terror laws as a tool of political suppression
Rights advocates emphasize that the Anti-Terrorism Act was amended in May 2025 specifically to allow the government to ban organizations pending investigations into alleged violence. JMBF argues that the law is now being misused to criminalize an entire political movement rather than address genuine security threats.
By invoking anti-terror legislation to silence political opposition, the interim authorities risk breaching multiple international human-rights norms. Observers warn that these tactics echo patterns seen in countries where counterterrorism laws have been weaponized to dismantle political pluralism and cement unelected regimes.
Democracy at risk ahead of 2026 elections
The suspension of Awami League’s registration by the Election Commission has raised fundamental questions about the legitimacy of the upcoming elections. A national vote that excludes the party representing a substantial portion of Bangladesh’s electorate would lack credibility both domestically and internationally.
Since August 2024, Bangladesh has been under the control of an army- and Islamist-backed interim administration. Human-rights organizations have documented widespread abuses during this period, including the killings of hundreds of civilians and minorities, politicized firings across the civil service, and severe restrictions on journalists and academics. JMBF argues that the ban on Awami League continues this pattern of authoritarian consolidation.
JMBF urges immediate UN action
In its petition, JMBF calls on the Bangladeshi authorities to immediately lift the ban on the Awami League and allow its leaders, members, and supporters to resume peaceful political activities. At minimum, the group says, the government must amend the ban to ensure that basic rights to assembly and expression are respected.
The rights organization also urges a comprehensive review of what it describes as “politically motivated or arbitrary” charges against Awami League activists, particularly those detained for peaceful protests, flash rallies, or online commentary. Without such steps, they argue, Bangladesh risks descending further into political instability and losing the democratic gains achieved over the last decades.
As Bangladesh approaches a pivotal election year, the UN is being asked to step in—not merely as an observer, but as a guardian of the democratic principles now under threat. Whether international pressure will influence the interim authorities remains uncertain, but the stakes for the country’s democratic future grow higher by the day.
