Global Politics Explainer

CWA # 1730
Global Politics Explainer
The Awami League is banned in Bangladesh: Why? What next?

Farhaz Rashid Ahmed
25 June 2025

Photo Source: Daily Star

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.

PREVIOUS COMMENTS

February 2026 | CWA # 1959

Yesasvi Koganti | Yesasvi Koganti is an undergraduate student from Madras Christian College, Chennai.

UK and China
February 2026 | CWA # 1957

R Preetha | R Preetha is pursuing post-graduation in the Department of International Studies, Stella Maris College, Chennai, and is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

The India–US interim trade framework
February 2026 | CWA # 1956

Lekshmi MK | Lekshmi MK is pursuing post-graduation in the Department of Political Science, Madras Christian College, Chennai, and is a Research Assistant at the National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru.

End of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START)
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1931

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
State of Global Politics 2025
December 2025 | CWA # 1924

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1801

R Preetha

28 August 1963
TWTW note
August 2025 | CWA # 1780

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Trump tariffs:
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1778

Lekshmi MK

28 July 1914
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1694

Aashish Ganeshan

The US:
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1689

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1688

Ayan Datta

Gaza
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1675

Lekshmi MK

Turkey:
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1673

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine:
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1667

R Preetha and Brighty Ann Sarah

East Asia:
NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1189

Hoimi Mukherjee | Hoimi Mukherjee is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science in Bankura Zilla Saradamani Mahila Mahavidyapith.

Chile in 2023: Crises of Constitutionality
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1187

Aprajita Kashyap | Aprajita Kashyap is a faculty of Latin American Studies, School of International Studies at the Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi.

Haiti in 2023: The Humanitarian Crisis
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1185

Binod Khanal | Binod Khanal is a Doctoral candidate at the Centre for European Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi.

The Baltic: Energy, Russia, NATO and China
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1183

Padmashree Anandhan | Padmashree Anandhan is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangaluru.

Germany in 2023: Defence, Economy and Energy Triangle
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1178

​​​​​​​Ashok Alex Luke | Ashok Alex Luke is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Political Science at CMS College, Kottayam.

China and South Asia in 2023: Advantage Beijing?
The World This Year
December 2023 | CWA # 1177

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri | Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri is a postgraduate student at the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies at the University of Madras, Chennai.

China and East Asia
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta | Centre for South Asian Studies, Kathmandu

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer | Research Associate, ISSSP, NIAS

Afghanistan