Dhaka asserts the disqualification of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League is vital for safeguarding national security and sovereignty.
The interim government of Bangladesh has reportedly banned the Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, preventing it from participating in the upcoming general election. This action, according to local reports, is deemed necessary to protect national security and the country’s sovereignty.
The ban was enacted under a newly revised anti-terrorism law, implemented on Monday night.
Muhammad Yunus’s press secretary, Shafiqul Alam, defended the ban, stating to the state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) that elections are a domestic issue and other nations should respect the will of the Bangladeshi people.
Alam’s comments on Tuesday were directed towards neighboring India, a long-time supporter of the Awami League.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the ban as a “concerning development” that lacked due process.
The Awami League, previously led by Hasina, was removed from power following a student-led uprising on August 5 of the previous year. Hasina sought refuge in India, and Nobel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of an interim government. Relations between Bangladesh and India have been strained since then.
New Delhi has consistently urged Bangladesh to hold early, free, fair, and inclusive elections.
The date for the next general election in Bangladesh remains undecided, but it is expected to occur between December 2025 and June 2026.
During the sixth BIMSTEC Summit in Bangkok in April, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Yunus, expressing India’s desire “to forge a positive and constructive relationship with Bangladesh based on pragmatism.” However, he emphasized that “rhetoric that vitiates the environment is best avoided.”
In the meeting with Modi, Yunus raised the matter of the former prime minister’s extradition.
The interim government is seeking the extradition of Hasina and her government officials to face charges including murder, torture, abduction, crimes against humanity, and genocide. New Delhi has not made any public statement regarding the extradition request.
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