In a decisive move on Saturday, the interim government of Bangladesh placed a ban on all operations of the former ruling party, the Awami League, which was previously led by the notable ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. This development comes after Sheikh Hasina was removed from office during a significant uprising last year.
Bangladesh’s law affairs adviser, Asif Nazrul, unveiled this information late Saturday, stating that the Interim Cabinet, led by Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, chose to restrict the party’s activities both online and offline under the country’s Anti-Terrorism Act. This prohibition will remain until a designated tribunal concludes its proceedings regarding the party’s involvement in the deaths of numerous students and protesters during last year’s government opposition movement, which spanned July and August.
Nazrul addressed the media following an extraordinary Cabinet meeting, emphasizing that this decision aims to preserve national security and sovereignty, as well as to safeguard the activists associated with the July movement, alongside plaintiffs and witnesses involved in the tribunal’s cases. Furthermore, the Cabinet expanded the scope to prosecute any political party linked to the fatal incidents during the anti-Hasina demonstrations being investigated by the International Crimes Tribunal.
Detailed information regarding the ban is expected to be disseminated soon through an official government notification. Subsequent to her removal last year, Sheikh Hasina, along with several high-ranking party members, has faced numerous murder accusations. Presently, Hasina resides in exile in India after demonstrators attacked her official residence shortly after her departure on August 5.
A report from the United Nations human rights office published in February claims that approximately 1,400 individuals might have lost their lives during the three-week wave of protests against Hasina. The interim government’s unexpected decision coincided with widespread demonstrations in Dhaka, where thousands, including supporters of a newly formed student political party, demanded the Awami League’s ban by the end of the day. Notably, members of the Jamaat-e-Islami party’s student wing also actively participated in the demonstrations.
While Sheikh Hasina and her faction have yet to respond publicly, Nahid Islam, the leader of the National Citizen Party and a student figurehead, praised the interim government under Yunus for its resolute action. This student-led uprising led to the conclusion of Hasina’s 15-year tenure, allowing Yunus to assume the role of interim leader merely three days after her departure.