Rise of Sheikh Hasina's Opponents Leads to Designation on Terror List: Decline of Awami League Government
Street Heroes, Now Enemies: The Awami League, once the glorious vanguard of Bangladesh's freedom, finds itself outlawed and under a cloud of terror accusations by the nation's interim leadership.
The once-mighty Awami League, led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, has been officially prohibited, as per the Anti-Terrorism Act, under the administration of Muhammad Yunus. The ban follows the administration's claims of endangered national security and the escalation of an ongoing war crimes investigation.
Hasina's party, which ruled the country for over a decade until its unceremonious fall in a wave of public unrest last year, has been accused of instigating violent suppression during the student-led protests in July-August 2024, which claimed nearly 1,500 lives.
The Awami League
Established in Dhaka on June 23, 1949, as the East Pakistan Awami Muslim League, this party emerged as a secular and progressive voice for the Bengali population in then East Pakistan. Led by the charismatic Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it played a pivotal role in the 1952 Language Movement, advocating for Bengali to be recognized as one of Pakistan's official languages.
The Awami League steadily expanded its influence, gaining support among students, intellectuals, and rural voters through its populist and regional identity politics.
The Formation of Bangladesh (1971)
In the historic 1970 general elections of Pakistan, the Awami League, under Mujibur Rahman's leadership, swept the East Pakistani seats and won a majority (160 out of 162). West Pakistan refused to cede power to Mujibur Rahman, resulting in political turmoil and a violent crackdown known as 'Operation Searchlight'.
On March 26, 1971, when political discussions failed, Bangladesh declared independence. The Awami League spearheaded the freedom movement. Mujibur Rahman was promptly arrested by Pakistani forces. The Awami League-led Mukti Bahini (Liberation Army), backed by India, launched a successful liberation struggle that lasted from March to December.
Bangladesh achieved independence on December 16, 1971, with the help of India. Mujibur Rahman became the nation's first President and Prime Minister, celebrated as the 'Bangabandhu' – Friend of Bengal.
Mujibur Rahman's Assassination (1975)
The Awami League government faced challenges in post-war reconstruction, famine, and escalating discontent. In 1975, Mujibur Rahman established one-party rule through BAKSAL (Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League), a move that was met with disappointment by many who believed it betrayed the ideals of democracy.
The following months led to a military coup, during which Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were brutally slain. The Awami League lost its grip on the military-led regimes of Ziaur Rahman and later Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
The Return of Sheikh Hasina (1981)
In 1981, Sheikh Hasina, Mujibur Rahman's exiled daughter, returned to Bangladesh and resumed leadership of the party. Over the following decade, she rebuilt the Awami League from the ground up, forming alliances with student groups, civil society, and pro-democracy voices.
The party played a crucial role in the 1990 movement that ended Ershad's dictatorship. In 1996, the Awami League returned to power after a 21-year hiatus, with Hasina becoming Prime Minister.
Her first term was marked by peace accords with tribal groups and substantial infrastructure investment. However, the party faced criticism for its authoritarian tendencies and suppression of dissenting voices.
The Awami League, Post-2001
Following the loss of power in 2001, the Awami League accused the BNP-Jamaat alliance of political repression. In 2007, a military-backed caretaker government seized power, detaining both Hasina and BNP leader Khaleda Zia under corruption charges.
A Pivotal Shift (2009 - 2023)
Significant change came after 2009, with Sheikh Hasina embarking on an uninterrupted 15-year rule, making her Bangladesh's longest-serving prime minister.
Human rights groups and opposition leaders accused her administration of using authoritarian tactics to maintain power. Elections were marred by allegations of vote rigging, and an escalation in crackdowns against opposition parties became common. The media experienced increasing censorship, with critics arguing that the Awami League had transformed into the very centralized force it once opposed.
She governed until her ouster in 2024.
The Student Uprising (2024)
In July and August 2024, students across the country electrified the streets in mass protests triggered by skyrocketing fuel prices, youth unemployment, and allegations of corruption.
According to the United Nations, over 1,400 protestors died in police crackdowns supported by Hasina's Awami League. The Awami League's government eventually collapsed in August 2024, following pressure from civil society, opposition groups, and defections within the party. She resigned on August 5, 2024, and subsequently fled the country.
By September, the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus had taken charge. Now, not only has the Awami League been removed from power, it has been criminalized and proscribed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
*The Awami League, once a secular and progressive voice for the Bengali population, has been proscribed under the Anti-Terrorism Act after being in power for over a decade.* Established in 1949, the Awami League played a pivotal role in the 1952 Language Movement and emerged as a strong regional identity politics party.* In 1971, the Awami League, led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, won a majority in the general elections and spearheaded Bangladesh's independence movement.* Mujibur Rahman's assassination in 1975 marked a turning point for the party, which lost its grip on government to military-led regimes.* Sheikh Hasina, Mujibur Rahman's daughter, returned to Bangladesh in 1981 and rebuilt the Awami League, regaining power in 1996 and serving as Prime Minister until 2001.* Following allegations of political repression and accusations of using authoritarian tactics, the Awami League lost power again in 2001 and was accused of corruption by the military-backed caretaker government that took over in 2007.* In July and August 2024, mass protests erupted across the country over skyrocketing fuel prices, youth unemployment, and allegations of corruption, leading to the deaths of over 1,400 protestors in police crackdowns supported by Hasina's Awami League.* The Awami League's government eventually collapsed in August 2024, with Sheikh Hasina resigning and fleeing the country, and the United Nations accusing the party of violence and suppression during the student-led protests.* The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus took charge in September, and the Awami League has since been criminalized and proscribed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
