Interim government in Bangladesh outlaws party of overthrown Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, prohibiting its activities.
BANGLADESH BARS AWAMI LEAGUE OVER VIOLENCE
DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) - The caretaker administration in Bangladesh yesterday imposed a ban on the activities of the Islamic ruling Awami League party, led by ex-prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted recently in a popular uprising.
Asif Nazrul, the nation’s legal affairs advisor, announced the ban at a press conference late Saturday night. The interim government, headed by the Nobel Peace Prize recipient Muhammad Yunus, made the decision to prohibit the party's offline and online activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The prohibition would persist until a special tribunal concludes a trial of the party and its leaders over the deaths of several students and protesters during the anti-government uprising in July and August last year.
Nazrul stated that this decision aimed to protect national security, sovereignty, and the safety of activists from the July movement, in addition to preserving the interests of plaintiffs and witnesses participating in the tribunal proceedings.
Saturday's cabinet meeting also extended the jurisdiction of investigations into any political parties encountered in the International Crimes Tribunal,, which handles cases regarding the bloodshed during the anti-Hasina protests.
Nazrul indicated that a government order outlining the details of the ban would be published soon.
Hasina and several of her senior party officials have been implicated in various murder charges since her ouster in 2024. Since August 5, Hasina has been in self-imposed exile in India due to her residence being stormed by protesters after she left the country.
The United Nations human rights office disclosed in a report in February that up to 1,400 individuals might have perished during the three weeks of anti-Hasina protests.
This evening's precipitous action was precipitated by thousands of protesters, including supporters of a newly formed political party driven by students, demanding the dissolution of the Awami League party before Saturday night.
The student-led uprising culminated in Hasina's 15-year term and resulted in Yunus taking office as interim leader three days later.
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Additional Insights:
- Allegations of Crimes Against Humanity and Genocide: The ban stems from the party’s role in quelling protests during the July 2024 uprising, resulting in a substantial death toll, estimated at up to 1,400 by the UN.
- Security Concerns: The decision intends to maintain national security, defend activists and witnesses involved in the trials, and secure the citizens of the July movement.
- Public Demand: The ban was enforced in light of public demands for the party’s dismantling, with countless protesters rallying outside the interim government leader's residence.
- Legal Framework: The Anti-Terrorism Act, originally enacted by the Awami League, serves as the foundation for the ban, with additional authority granted through an amendment to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, which expands the jurisdiction to prosecute political parties and their affiliates.
- Despite the ban, concerns over the role of the Awami League in war-and-conflicts, crime-and-justice, and general-news persist.
- The contentious ban of the Awami League party in Bangladesh has sparked discussions about politics and its intersection with crime, particularly in the context of international human rights violations.
- Seattle-based activists, rallying in solidarity with the July movement, continue to demand the dismantling of the Awami League party and an end to the violence associated with its political activities.
- With the rise of a student-led political party, the dissolution of the Awami League offers an opportunity for a shift in political dynamics, potentially leading to a decrease in crime and violence in Bangladesh.
