Anti-terror law invoked to ban AL
Staff Correspondent :
The Awami League (AL), once Bangladesh’s most influential political party, is set to be formally banned today (Monday, 12 May) under sweeping anti-terror legislation enacted by the interim government.
Following the publication of the ban in the official gazette, the Election Commission (EC) will initiate procedures to cancel the party’s registration, effectively disqualifying it from participating in the forthcoming national elections.
The deregistration process will be carried out under Section 90H (1)(b) of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), 1972, which stipulates that a party declared unlawful by the government must forfeit its status. Additionally, Section 90C (1)(3) prevents any banned political entity from being re-registered.
Registration with the EC is a prerequisite for contesting national elections, and the loss of this status would formally exclude the Awami League from the political arena.
The dramatic move follows an emergency meeting of the interim government’s Advisory Council on Saturday night, during which it was resolved to proscribe all organisational activities of the AL under the Anti-Terrorism Act, citing threats to national security and public order. The official order enacting the ban is expected to be gazetted today.
Speaking to the press on Sunday, Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin confirmed that the EC was awaiting the gazette’s publication before proceeding.
“If the gazette is published tomorrow, we will sit and discuss the Awami League’s registration,” he said. “We must act in accordance with the spirit of the present Bangladesh.”
Simultaneously, the interim administration has approved amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, aimed at introducing comprehensive restrictions on banned entities and their supporters.
In a Facebook post, Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud disclosed that the new provisions will prohibit all forms of media, social media, and public campaigning in support of the Awami League. This includes issuing press statements, holding conferences, or staging demonstrations on the party’s behalf.
A press release from the Chief Adviser’s Office stated that the amendments were necessary to criminalise the activities of any group or individual deemed a threat to national security.
“Since the existing legislation lacked provisions regarding the activities of banned organisations, it became imperative to update the law to protect state sovereignty and public safety,” the statement read.
In a related development, the Advisory Council has amended the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act to empower the tribunal to prosecute not only individuals but also political parties and affiliated groups.
Law Adviser Asif Nazrul confirmed that all activities of the Awami League-both online and offline-would remain suspended until the completion of judicial proceedings against the party and its leadership.
“This was necessary to safeguard national sovereignty and ensure the protection of victims, witnesses, and leaders of the July uprising,” he said.
Once hailed as the party that led Bangladesh to independence, the Awami League now finds itself at an unprecedented crossroads.
The decision to outlaw the party follows months of political unrest and public demand for accountability after the July uprising, which began as a student-led protest against the government’s quota system and escalated into nationwide demonstrations demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.
Hasina ultimately stepped down on 5 August and reportedly sought refuge in India. In the months that followed, the Awami League has struggled with internal disarray, further exacerbated by the flight of former president Abdul Hamid amid controversy.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) and other political groups intensified calls for the AL’s dissolution, organising mass sit-ins and protests in Shahbagh and elsewhere, citing the party’s alleged authoritarian tendencies and controversial handling of the 2014, 2018, and 2024 elections.
Despite its longstanding claim to democratic legitimacy, the Awami League has faced mounting accusations of electoral manipulation, voter suppression, and political repression. It had participated in every national election since 1973, with the exceptions of the boycotted polls in 1988 and February 1996.
However, its credibility steadily eroded, particularly following three consecutive elections widely condemned as rigged. The July uprising marked the culmination of public discontent, leading to the fall of the Hasina administration and triggering the current wave of political reckoning.
With its deregistration imminent and possible criminal prosecution on the horizon, the Awami League now confronts the most serious threat to its existence since the country’s independence.