Can Awami League contest elections? Sheikh Hasina's party calls Muhammad Yunus govt's ban illegal

Responding to the ban on Awami League, former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party posted on its official Facebook page, saying that "all decisions of the illegal government are illegal."

The interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus on Saturday banned all activities of Awami League under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The ban will continue until the trial of Awami League and its leaders at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is completed.

In the meeting chaired by Yunus, the government also amended the ICT law in order to allow the tribunal to try political parties as a collective entity.

This comes after protests by the student-led National Citizen Party over the past three days called for a ban on the Awami League.

Can Awami League contest elections? 

The Bangladeshi election commission is set to decide on Awami League's registration following the ban. The country's chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin said the panel will hold a meeting after receiving the government order. "No decision can be taken without government order," The Daily Star quoted him as saying.

Yunus's office said the official gazette notification will be issued on the next working day.

Saying the government decision is being taken seriously, the election commissioner said the panel will review legal aspects and finalise its next move.

Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League was banned in October 2024, with the government calling it a terrorist outfit for attacking protesters.

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