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Bangladesh officially disbanded deposed premier Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League under an overnight revised anti-terrorism law, two days after Muhammad Yunus’s interim government slapped a ban on its “activities” under the previous version of the law.
“A gazette notification has been issued in this regard today,” home adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam told a media briefing on Monday.
As reported by PTI, According to A home ministry official said as per the notification, the Awami League and its affiliated organisations were banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2025 until Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) completed the trial of its leaders and activists.
He said Section 18 of the revised law empowered the government to declare any “entity” or organisation alongside an individual if they were found involved in terrorism based on reasonable grounds.
The original Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 did not have the provision of banning the “entity”.
The Election Commission, meanwhile, said it scrapped the Awami League’s registration as well, disqualifying the party from contesting polls.
“Today, the Ministry of Home Affairs banned the activities of Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated organisations. In continuation of this, the Election Commission decided to suspend the registration of Awami League,” EC secretary Akhtar Ahmed said hours after the government notification.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin two days back told reporters, “We will have to decide to go with the spirit of the present Bangladesh.”
