The interim government led by Professor Muhammad Yunus on Saturday Saturday night banned all activities of the Bangladesh Awami League, following days of mounting protests led by student groups and political activists demanding action against the party鈥檚 alleged role in past atrocities.
The decision was made during a special session of the advisory council, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his official residence in Jamuna in the capital.
The meeting also approved amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act, allowing for the prosecution of political parties, their affiliated organisations.
鈥楾he law now has the scope to bring entire organisations under trial if there is credible evidence of institutional complicity in international crimes,鈥� said Law Adviser Asif Nazrul at a press briefing following the meeting.
He added that under the Anti-Terrorism Act, all activities of the Awami League 鈥� including those in cyberspace 鈥� would remain suspended until the completion of its leaders鈥� trials before the International Crimes Tribunal.
According to a statement from the Chief Adviser鈥檚 press office, the decision was made 鈥榯o protect national security and sovereignty, ensure the safety of July Movement activists, and safeguard plaintiffs and witnesses engaged in ongoing trials.鈥�
Besides, the council of advisers also decided to publish the July declaration within next 30 working days, said a statement shared by the chief adviser鈥檚 press wing.
The ban comes amid escalating protests that began Thursday night and spread across Dhaka.
Demonstrators, led by National Consensus Party (NCP) leaders Nahid Islam and Hasnat Abdullah, first gathered outside the Chief Adviser鈥檚 residence before moving to Shahbagh, a hub of political mobilisation in Dhaka.
The protesters put forward a series of demands: they called for the Awami League and its affiliates to be declared terrorist organisations and banned; for the International Crimes Tribunal Act to be amended to prosecute political parties as collective entities; and for the immediate issuance of a formal 鈥楯uly Proclamation鈥�.
The advisory council responded by announcing that the July Declaration would be finalised and made public within the next 30 working days.
The protests have drawn widespread participation from students, victims of political violence, and activists from a wide ideological spectrum.
Groups represented at the rallies included Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, Islami Chhatra Andolan Bangladesh, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Inquilab Mancha, Hefazat-e Islam Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ganatantrik Chhatra Sangsad, and the Amar Bangladesh Party.
Immediately after the announcement of the government鈥檚 decision, one of the聽 key organizers of the protest Hasnat Abdullah in a Facebook post called upon the protesters not to leave streets until they give their opinion formally in this regard.
The National Citizen Party, along with several other political parties and groups, continued their blockade at the Shahbagh crossing in Dhaka for the second day on Saturday demanding trial of the Awami League, ban on the party, and the proclamation of a July charter.
Protest demonstrations, with the same demands, were also held in other cities and places, including Sylhet, Thakurgaon and Mawa.
Giving the government a one-hour ultimatum from the Shahbagh rally at about 8:00pm, Hasnat announced that the protesters will hold a 鈥楳arch to Jamuna鈥� under the banner of Anti-fascist National Unity if the government did not announce a clear road map for banning the AL within that time.
A group of protesters at about 9:00pm staged the Jamuna march and then took position in front of the police barricade beside InterContinental Dhaka Hotel near Jamuna, where the council of advisers were in an emergency meeting with the chief adviser in the chair.
The blockade was continued at 11:00pm on Saturday when this report was being filed.
The demonstration as usual halted vehicular movement on the adjacent thoroughfares, causing tailbacks in the surrounding areas as police diverted vehicles at different places.
The protesters at the pre-announced Shahbagh rally demanded the trial of and ban on the AL, citing its involvement in killings during the July mass uprising, and in the earlier BDR carnage, Shapla Square massacre, and the enforced disappearances carried out over its 15-year fascist rule.
Addressing the rally, NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain said, 鈥楾he Awami League must be declared a terrorist organisation and it should be banned immediately. It must be tried as a party by incorporating a provision into the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act to enable the trial of any organisation involved such crimes. Besides, a July charter must be issued immediately.鈥�
About the troubling city traffic situation amid the Shahbagh blockade, Dhaka Metropolitan Police officials said they had already taken measures to mitigate public sufferings.
鈥榃e have diverted vehicles at different places, including Banglamotor, Katabon and Matsya Bhaban to mitigate people鈥檚 sufferings,鈥� said Dhaka Metropolitan Police division鈥檚 deputy commissioner for traffic Md Shafiqul Islam.聽聽
Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki and its executive coordinator Abul Hassan Rubel on Saturday issued a statement to demand trial of the AL as a party for carrying out massacres during the July uprising, suppressing people鈥檚 voice, depriving people from voting rights, and its involvement in enforced disappearances during its 15-year fascist rule.
Ganosamhati also announced a protest rally to be held in front of the National Press Club in the capital at 4:00pm on Sunday to press home the demands.
Earlier on Thursday night, students, political leaders and activists from different parties and organisations held demonstrations near the chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus鈥� official residence Jamuna in the capital, responding to calls from NCP leaders Nahid Islam and Hasnat Abdullah.
Established on June 23, 1949, as the Awami Muslim League at Rose Garden in the capital鈥檚 Old Town, later the party emerged as the Bangladesh Awami League.
The party led the war of independence in 1971.
The student led mass uprising on August 5 forced the fall of the Awami League government of Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5 for shelter.
Almost all senior AL leaders including the party president Sheikh Hasina have been facing ICT cases for genocide committed during the July uprising.
