At a Washington policy forum, analysts warned that sidelining the Awami League reflects fear of electoral defeat and risks undermining Bangladesh’s democracy, stability, and international standing.
Sheikh Hasina has accused Muhammad Yunus’s interim administration of persecuting religious minorities, citing lynchings and a breakdown of law and order amid rising political tension.
Bangladesh’s interim government says Awami League will remain barred from February elections, even as US lawmakers warn that excluding a major party risks democratic credibility.
Coordinated attacks on leading newspapers and cultural institutions in Dhaka have sparked fear among journalists and artists, raising sharp questions about law and order under the interim government.
Arrested journalist Anis Alamgir told a Dhaka court that Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus could “turn the entire country into a prison,” as police sought remand under anti-terror laws.