Bangladesh’s interim government has no plans to lift the ban on the Awami League’s activities anytime soon, according to Law Advisor Asif Nazrul. He shared this update during a meeting with reporters in Barisal city, as reported by local media like United News of Bangladesh.
Nazrul’s comments come after Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus hinted at a possible change. In a recent interview with Zeteo on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, Yunus said the Awami League remains a valid party, but its operations are paused for now. “Anytime it will be open,” he added, according to The Daily Star. When pressed on whether that means the suspension could end, Yunus replied, “That’s a possibility.”
The Awami League, once led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, faces tough times under Yunus’s leadership. Hasina fled the country last August amid massive protests that toppled her government. Since then, the interim administration has cracked down hard on the party’s leaders and supporters. Many face arrests on what critics call false charges, and several have died in custody.
Adding to the pressure, last month reports emerged that Hasina and some family members can’t vote in next year’s elections. Their National Identity Cards (NID) are blocked, stripping them of basic political rights. Election Commission Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed explained to reporters that anyone with a locked NID can’t cast a vote—even from abroad. “She cannot vote because her NID is blocked,” he said bluntly about Hasina. Those who left due to legal issues can still vote if their cards stay active.
The troubles don’t stop there. Back in July, the Election Commission yanked the Awami League’s official election symbol from its website, a move seen as an effort to erase the party’s long history in Bangladesh politics. And on May 12, the Yunus government issued a formal ban on all Awami League activities and its affiliates. This came under the Anti-Terrorism Act and lasts until trials wrap up at the International Crimes Tribunal.
Experts view these steps as part of a broader political revenge plot against Hasina and her allies. They believe the goal is to sideline the Awami League entirely from upcoming national elections, reshaping Bangladesh’s political landscape.
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