New Delhi: Bangladesh’s interim government, headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, declared a ban on the Awami League, the political party of deposed former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Saturday evening.
The ban was implemented under the provisions of an anti-terrorism law.
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According to a statement from Yunus’s office, the official gazette notification regarding the ban will be issued on the next working day.
The decision, characterized as a resolution from the council of advisors or the cabinet, specifies that the prohibition will persist until the conclusion of the “trial of the Awami League and its leaders in Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, in the interest of safeguarding the country’s security and sovereignty.”
The interim administration also emphasized the necessity of ensuring the safety of leaders and activists involved in the July 2024 uprising as a contributing factor to the ban.
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These demonstrations, which initially arose in response to a reservation system, broadened into a significant anti-Hasina movement following a forceful crackdown by the government on student protesters.
Sheikh Hasina, 77, has resided in India since fleeing Dhaka amidst the ensuing unrest.
In a parallel development, a meeting presided over by Yunus resulted in an amendment to the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) law.
This amendment now empowers the tribunal to prosecute any political party, including its associated organizations and front groups.
The Awami League, founded in 1949, was instrumental in the decades-long movement advocating for Bengali autonomy in what was then East Pakistan, ultimately spearheading the 1971 Liberation War.