Bangladesh's Interim Government Imposes Ban on Awami League: What Led to This Controversial Decision?
Significant Political Shift in Bangladesh
Dhaka/New Delhi: On Saturday evening, the interim government of Bangladesh, led by Muhammad Yunus, announced a ban on the Awami League, the party of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, citing anti-terrorism legislation.
This decision followed protests organized by the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), which is primarily composed of students. These activists had been demonstrating since Thursday, demanding the ban and conducting blockades throughout Dhaka.
Yunus's office indicated that an official notification regarding the ban would be published on the next working day, referring to it as a declaration from the Council of Advisers, akin to a Cabinet statement.
According to the announcement, the ban will remain in place until the conclusion of the trial involving the Awami League and its leaders at Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal, aimed at safeguarding the nation's security and sovereignty.
The Council's decision was also motivated by the need to protect the leaders and supporters of the uprising that led to the removal of the Awami League in July 2024, as well as the complainants and witnesses involved in the tribunal's proceedings.
During the meeting chaired by Yunus, amendments were made to the ICT law, empowering the tribunal to prosecute any political party and its associated organizations.
Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, which had been in power for 16 years, was ousted on August 5 of the previous year following a violent student-led uprising, prompting the 77-year-old former prime minister to seek refuge in India.
Yunus assumed the role of chief adviser to the interim government just three days after Hasina's removal.
Since then, Hasina and numerous leaders from her party have faced hundreds of legal cases, including serious charges of mass murder and corruption, with many either arrested or having fled the country.
A significant faction of the Students against Discrimination (SAD), which played a crucial role in last year's protests, has since evolved into the National Citizen Party (NCP).
The Awami League, established in 1949, was instrumental in advocating for Bengali autonomy during its time in East Pakistan and played a pivotal role in the Liberation War of 1971.
The announcement of the ban coincided with rising tensions in Bangladesh, as NCP supporters marched towards Yunus's official residence to exert pressure for the ban.
Reports indicate that NCP activists were joined by various Islamist and right-wing groups during their sit-in protest in the Shahgabh area of the capital.
On Friday, Yunus's office stated that the government had engaged with multiple political parties prior to making the decision to ban the Awami League.
However, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the main opposition to the Awami League, has distanced itself from the demand, expressing its opposition to banning any political party.