Sun May 11 16:57:23 UTC 2025: **Bangladesh Bans Ruling Awami League After Protests**
DHAKA, BANGLADESH—May 11, 2025—Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has banned the Awami League, the party of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, triggering strong condemnation from the party. The ban, implemented under anti-terrorism laws, prohibits all Awami League activities, including online operations.
The decision follows protests, some involving injured demonstrators, demanding the ban. These protests were organized by activists from the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP), which has been active in recent days, carrying out blockades across Dhaka. The Awami League, in a strongly worded statement, denounced the ban as a “fascist” action by an “undemocratic” government and vowed to continue its operations. The party, which led Bangladesh to independence in 1971, claims the ban aims to suppress the spirit of the Liberation War.
Yunus’s press secretary defended the ban, citing international precedents for outlawing parties deemed threats to national security. The Election Commission is awaiting official notification to decide whether to revoke the Awami League’s registration, which would bar the party from participating in upcoming elections.
The ban comes nearly a year after a student-led uprising led to Hasina’s ouster and subsequent flight to India. Since then, Hasina and many of her party leaders have faced numerous charges of corruption and violence. The Awami League is calling on the international community to condemn the ban.
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