On Sunday, the Awami League, whose leadership is in exile with Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, vehemently denounced the interim government's move to ban the party, calling it with "disgust" and reiterating its determination to go on with its activities in spite of the ban.
The interim government, headed by Muhammad Yunus, declared the ban late Saturday, banning "all activities of Awami League," including its online presence, under an anti-terrorism law.
In turn, the Awami League released a strong statement on X, saying, "We are rejecting and protesting the fascist autocrat Yunus government's decision with disgust…Awami League will carry on its activities in an appropriate course, defying the decision of the fascist Yunus government." The party lamented that "today's independent Bangladesh" had to witness the prohibition of Awami League's activities by an "undemocratic fascist" government which is now in power without the mandate of the people, in spite of the Awami League's pivotal role in the country's independence struggle.
Established in 1949, the Awami League was a major force behind the movement for Bengali self-rule in East Pakistan and was the prime mover of the Liberation War of 1971, which won Bangladesh independence.
The party statement also criticized the ban as attempting to "exile the spirit, ideals, and core values of the Liberation War" and to allow anti-independence forces to come back to power, labeling such actions as the work of "only an anti-state and anti-independence evil force."
We strongly believe that the people of Bangladesh will react forcefully to this irresponsible move of the fascist Yunus regime. We call upon all leaders and activists of Awami League to stand with the people and launch a complete resistance against this illogical and anti-people move," the statement stated.
Awami League also called on democratic countries, institutions, and leaders across the world to denounce the action of Yunus government. Earlier, Yunus's press secretary Shafiqul Alam justified the ban at a press briefing, stating that democratic nations were not likely to go against the interim government's action. He equated Awami League with Nazi and Fascist parties and claimed that Western countries had already banned political parties that had worked against national interests or engaged in crimes against humanity.
"So we don't anticipate any adverse international response to the ban on Awami League activities," Alam said.
The Election Commission (EC) is waiting for an official government notice to make a decision regarding the possible cancellation of Awami League's registration. In case the registration is cancelled, the party will be prohibited from competing in the general election, which is likely to be held from December 2025 to June 2026.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said the commission would make its decision in accordance with the "spirit of the present Bangladesh."
Hasina's 16-year reign ended on August 5 last year when a student-led movement prompted the 77-year-old former prime minister to flee to India. Yunus took over as chief adviser of the interim government just three days after Hasina was ousted.
Since then, Hasina and several of her party members have been charged with a variety of offenses, such as mass murder and corruption. Some have been arrested, and others have fled abroad. The decision to ban the activities of Awami League was said to have been precipitated by protests and blockades called by the newly established National Citizen Party (NCP) since Thursday, which called for the banning of the Awami League.
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