Bangladesh bans Awami League under anti-terror law amid rising political turmoil

In a dramatic escalation of Bangladesh’s political crisis, the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has formally banned all activities of the Awami League, the country’s largest and oldest political party, under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The sweeping ban includes operations in cyberspace and will remain in effect until the trial of the party and its leaders concludes at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).The move follows days of intense street protests in Dhaka, spearheaded by the student-led National Citizen Party (NCP), which emerged from the July 2024 uprising that toppled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 16-year-long rule.
The protests gained momentum after being joined by right-wing groups and Islamist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami, all demanding the Awami League be declared a terrorist organisation.
Yunus’ office confirms the developmentAnnouncing the decision late Saturday night, Yunus’s office confirmed that the Council of Advisers had also amended the ICT Act, empowering the tribunal to prosecute political parties as collective entities. This clears the way for the Awami League to stand trial not just as individuals, but as an organisation, over alleged crimes including mass killings of protesters and systemic corruption.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) said that it is awaiting a formal government gazette before deciding whether to cancel the party’s registration. If revoked, the Awami League will be disqualified from contesting the next general elections, tentatively scheduled between December 2025 and June 2026.

Awami League denounces the ban

The Awami League, founded in 1949 and known for leading the 1971 Liberation War, denounced the ban as “illegal and fascist.”

In a defiant statement posted on social media, the party vowed to resist the ban and accused the interim regime of trying to erase the legacy of Bangladesh’s independence.

“Only an anti-state force could impose such a ban,” it declared, urging global democratic leaders to condemn the decision.

Sheikh Hasina, 77, fled to India after being deposed in August 2024. Since then, dozens of her ministers and senior leaders have either been arrested or gone underground. The government maintains that the ban is crucial to protect national security and the integrity of ongoing trials.