Former Prime Minister (PM) of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been banned by the interim government under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The decision emerged last evening, with an official notification expected to be issued on the next working day. The head of the interim government, Muhammad Yunus, made this decision in consultation with the cabinet, to remain in effect until the cases against the party and its leaders are concluded in the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT).
All activities of the Awami League and its affiliated organisations will remain suspended in the meantime.
This move comes in the wake of 2024 student-led uprising, during which the Awami League government was overthrown, and Sheikh Hasina was forced to flee the country and take refuge in India. According to a United Nations report, around 1,400 people were killed in clashes during the uprising.
Prior to the ban, activists of the National Citizen Party (NCP), who were at the forefront of the rebellion, held a protest outside Muhammad Yunus’ residence, Jamuna, demanding a ban on Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League. During the protest, demonstrators set up a stage and offered the Friday prayers on site. The interim government has also amended the ICT law.
Under the new amendments, any political party, its front organisations, and affiliated institutions can now be prosecuted. Following Sheikh Hasina’s exile in India, the government has also begun exploring possible measures to secure her extradition. Several Awami League leaders remain in hiding, while some have been detained, and their bank accounts have been frozen.
Where is Sheikh Hasina right now?
According to Indian reports, she is now living in a safehouse in a high-security area in Delhi. She has been living in India since August 2024 when she fled Bangladesh.
