Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: THE interim government of Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus has issued a gazette notification banning all activities of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s party, Awami League and its affiliate organisations. The ban is imposed under the Anti-Terrorism Act until the trial of the party and its leaders in the Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is completed.
The Public Security Division under the country’s Home Ministry issued the gazette notification with Joint Secretary Ziauddin Ahmed confirming the development.
The ban included all activities, including any kind of publication, campaign in media, online and social media, procession, meeting, gathering, conference, etc.
“The government has sufficient evidence that the Bangladesh Awami League and all its subsidiary, associate and fraternal organisations are involved in various criminal activities with the aim of destabilising and rendering the state ineffective, and are engaged in various illegal activities and conspiracies similar to terrorist organisations with the aim of spreading fear in the public mind,” the notification stated.
Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League, was banned in October 2024 and declared a terrorist organisation. The other associate organisations include Bangladesh Mahila League, Bangladesh Awami Jubo League, Awami Swecchashebok League, Awami Ainjibee Parishad, Bangladesh Tanti League and the Swadhinata Chikitsak Parishad. On May 11, the interim government promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-terrorism Act, including a new provision imposing ban on persons or any entities involved in violence and terrorism.
As per the previous provision of the act, to meet the purpose of the act, the government may, on the basis of reasonable grounds that any person or entity is involved in terrorist acts, list such a person in the Schedule or declare the entity prohibited and list it in the Schedule by issuing official gazette notifications.
