Bangladesh interim government bans deposed PM Sheikh Hasina's Awami League

Bangladesh’s interim government led by Muhammad Yunus on Saturday evening banned deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League under an anti-terrorism law.

In a significant move on Saturday evening, Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, announced a ban on the country’s largest political party, the Awami League, under the anti-terrorism law.

“The official gazette notification will be issued in this regard on the next working day,” Yunus’s office said, describing it as a “statement of the council of advisers” or the Cabinet.

The statement emphasized that the ban would remain in place until the completion of the trial of the Awami League and its leaders in Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).

The statement further highlighted that the decision was made to safeguard the country’s security and sovereignty. It also cited the protection of the leaders and activists of the July 2024 uprising, which led to the ousting of the Awami League government, as well as the complainants and witnesses involved in the ICT trial.

In a concurrent move, the council chaired by Yunus amended the ICT law, granting the tribunal the authority to try not just individuals but also any political party, its front organizations, and affiliated bodies.

The Awami League, founded in 1949, has been a pivotal force in the political landscape of Bangladesh. It spearheaded the struggle for the autonomy of Bengalis in East Pakistan and played a key role in the Liberation War of 1971.