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Global Politics Explainer
The Awami League is banned in Bangladesh: Why? What next?

  Farhaz Rashid Ahmed

In May 2025, the Awami League (AL) =, led by Sheikh Hasina, was banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act in Bangladesh. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus accused the AL of pursuing fascist policies and violating human rights. The Election Commission of Bangladesh subsequently suspended the party. Why was the AL banned now? And what next?

Why was the Awami League banned in Bangladesh?
The interim government claimed that democratic norms were frequently compromised under Sheikh Hasina's leadership. They claimed electoral manipulation and misuse of government tools to silence the opposition and critics. The general elections of 2018 and 2024 were especially condemned, with accusations of voter coercion, repression of the opposition, and lack of transparency. Subsequently, the AL was charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The act was amended just two days after AL was banned.

What next for the AL and Bangladesh's politics?
The Awami League controlled the electoral landscape; its ban has created a vacuum in the political landscape. Their main rival - the Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP), expect to fill the void left by the Awami League by offering themselves as an alternative. The Awami League supporters have been staging demonstrations after the above. The public opinion remains divided on the issue. The ban is likely to create more political turmoil and violence, particularly in the cities, where the Awami League has traditionally been more powerful.

Sheikh Hasina has been the face of the Awami League since 2009. Her time saw, the country’s growth in the economy and in the fields of learning, health, technology and major infrastructure projects like the Padma Bridge. She maintained strategic ties with India, China and the US focused on trade, security and infrastructure. 

Critics accused her of centralised power, silencing dissent and weakening internal party democracy. The judiciary, civil service and law enforcement agencies came under her influence, while opposition figures and critical media faced harassment, censorship and imprisonment. Even the UN condemned pre-election violence that occurred in opposition rallies in 2024, and a US delegation conducted a four-day mission to observe the election. Laws such as the Digital Security Act were used against journalists and civil society. Awami League came to be viewed more as Hasina’s personal vehicle than a representative political party.

What next?
After the ban of the Awami League, Bangladesh’s electoral future looks unpredictable. Though some see it as an opportunity for democratic reforms, others worry that excluding the country’s dominant party sabotages fair representation, thus, leaving the party’s go-to supporters in a dilemma conflicted on whom to vote for. Yunus’ interim government promises to bring electoral reforms and protections for free speech but concerns over its intention remain eminent. Whether it leads to a democratic reset or a mere rebranded power shift is left to be seen.

References
Shaheen Mamun,“Is Bangladesh’s Awami League Ban a Step Toward Justice or a Democratic Backslide?,” The Diplomat, 20 May 2025

“Govt decides to ban AL activities,” The Daily Star, 11 May 2025
Shamsher M Chowdhury,“US delegation visit: A new chapter in Bangladesh-US relations?,” The Daily Star, 20 September 2024

About the author
Farhaz Rashid Ahmed is pursuing an undergraduate degree at the Department of International Relations, Peace & Public Policy, St Joseph’s University, Bengaluru.

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