Dhaka (TDI): Bangladesh’s Election Commission has suspended the registration of the Awami League, effectively banning ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party from contesting future national elections.
The decision follows a government action led by the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus’s interim administration, which cited national security concerns and multiple ongoing investigations into crimes against humanity under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The suspension means the Awami League — a party that governed the country for more than 20 years is now legally disqualified from participating in polls unless the ban is lifted and its registration restored.
The Election Commission has also banned all political activity by the party and its affiliates, including public rallies, online engagement, media campaigns, and organizational operations, until the International Crimes Tribunal concludes its inquiry into alleged abuses by party leadership.
The big development follows months of deadly unrest triggered by the students protests in July 2024, which escalated into mass anti-government movement.
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Hasina fled to India in August, and Yunus’ non-partisan interim administration took charge, promising democratic reforms and proposing a delay in elections until 2026.
Nearly 1,500 people died in the Hasina government’s crackdown on protests with the interim government announcing that as many as 3,500 might have been abducted during her 15-year rule.
Sheikh Hasina and senior Awami League leaders are being investigated for alleged human rights violations, electoral manipulation, and the violent suppression of dissent.
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This political ban has drawn concern from both national and foreign observers, with critics cautioning it may set a dangerous precedent for collective punishment and weaken democratic system in the country.
Supporters argue it is essential to dismantle authoritarianism and ensure accountability.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Begum Khaleda Zia, and the newly formed National Citizen Party have urged a swift return to democratic governance, though they differ on the timeline.
The BNP demands early polls, while the Citizen Party insists reforms must come first.
