NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday expressed deep concern over the interim Bangladeshi government’s decision to ban the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina, terming it a troubling move that undermines democratic freedoms and due process.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, addressing a press briefing in New Delhi, said: “The ban on the Awami League without due process is a concerning development. As a democracy, India is naturally concerned about curtailing democratic freedoms and shrinking political space. We strongly support the early holding of free, fair, and inclusive elections in Bangladesh.”
The interim government in Dhaka has invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act to suspend all activities of the Awami League, both offline and online, until the International Crimes Tribunal completes trials against the party and its leaders. The ban follows three days of intense protests, with demonstrators demanding accountability for alleged atrocities committed to suppress the July “uprising.”
The Awami League, Bangladesh’s oldest political party, was officially banned on Monday under a newly amended anti-terrorism law. The decision follows an earlier order by the interim government, led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, which barred all activities of the party and its affiliated organisations.
The ban will remain in force until the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) completes the ongoing trials of the party’s senior leaders, who are facing charges of crimes against humanity related to the recent July uprising.
Under the revised Anti-Terrorism Act 2025, the government now has the power to ban any “entity” implicated in terrorism — a sharp expansion from the original 2009 law, which limited such action to individuals.