Govt issues notification banning all activities of AL

A notification has been issued banning all activities of the Awami League. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued this notification on Monday (May 12).

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury confirmed the information.

During a briefing after the meeting of the Law and Order Advisory Council Committee on Monday, Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said, “A notification has already been issued banning all activities of the Awami League as a political party. According to the ordinance, it is our responsibility to implement it.”

The notification, signed by Senior Secretary Nasimul Ghani, states that from January 6, 2009 — when the Awami League formed the government — until its removal from power on August 5, 2024, following a mass student and public uprising, the Awami League and all its affiliated, associate, and allied organizations created a reign of terror across the country. This was carried out through attacks, enforced disappearances, killings, murders, torture, rape, and various forms of repression and terrorist activities against opposition political party members and dissenters.

The notification also states that there are clear allegations against the Awami League and its affiliated organizations regarding crimes such as abductions, murders, burning people alive, mass killings, unlawful detentions, inhuman torture, looting, arson, terrorist acts, and crimes against humanity during the period of the student-public movement between July 15 and August 5, 2024. These allegations have been confirmed in both local and international reports. Many cases are currently pending in the International Crimes Tribunal and in criminal courts in the country against leaders and activists of the Awami League and its associated organizations on these charges.

The notification further states that, with the aim of obstructing justice, creating public fear, and threatening the unity, public safety, and sovereignty of Bangladesh, from August 5, 2024 onward, the Awami League and its affiliated organizations have carried out attacks on student-public protesters, organized provocative marches, distributed anti-state leaflets, and spread criminal content on social media through leaders who are in hiding abroad. They have also been involved in attempts to damage public and state property and have engaged in activities that violate law and order. These actions have put the sovereignty and security of the state at serious risk. Plaintiffs and witnesses in the related cases have been intimidated, attempts have been made to obstruct justice, and overall, there is a serious concern of a deterioration in the country’s law and order situation.

It further states that the government has enough evidence that the Awami League and all its affiliated, associate, and allied organizations are involved in criminal activities and conspiracies, similar to terrorist groups, with the intent to destabilize and disable the state and spread fear among the public. Therefore, the government reasonably believes that, under the authority granted in Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, it is appropriate to ban all activities of the Awami League and all its affiliated, associate, and allied organizations until the ongoing trials against their leaders and activists are completed in the International Crimes Tribunal.

The notification concludes by declaring that until the completion of trials in the International Crimes Tribunal against the leaders and activists of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations, all forms of publications, media or online promotion, social media campaigns, marches, meetings, rallies, conferences, and all other activities by the Awami League and its associated organizations are hereby banned.

This order, issued under the direction of the President, is to take effect immediately.