Political parties have expressed mixed reactions to the government decision to ban all activities of the Bangladesh Awami League pending its trial, along with that of its leaders, by the International Crimes Tribunal.
While most parties welcomed the decision and called for a speedy trial of the mass killings during the July uprising in 2024, others voiced concern over the use of an executive order to impose a ban on the activities of a political party.
The government on Saturday announced a ban on all Awami League activities, including online activities, under the Anti-Terrorism Act, pending the completion of the International Crimes Tribunal鈥檚 trial of the party and its leadership.
The government also approved an amendment to the International Crimes Tribunal Act, granting the tribunal to punish political parties, their affiliated organisations, and supporter groups for crimes under its jurisdiction.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Sunday welcomed the interim government decision to ban all activities of the Awami League calling it a timely and essential step towards delivering justice for crimes against humanity committed under the AL regime.
鈥榃e consider the decision to amend the relevant laws to bring the fascist party 鈥� which for years carried out enforced disappearances, murders, repression, and misrule against the people 鈥� to trial as a correct and necessary step,鈥� BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said in a statement.
Other opposition political parties have also hailed the government decision to ban the activities of the Awami League.
Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki and executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel in a joint statement on Sunday welcomed the government decision to put the Awami League to a judicial process for its role.
They, however, said their movement will continue, demanding justice for a range of state crimes, including killings in July and August, enforced disappearances during the 15 years of AL rule, extrajudicial killings, looting, and money laundering.
Socialist Party of Bangladesh general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz on Sunday in a press statement said imposing a ban a political party鈥檚 activities is not a good sign for democracy.
The people of the country are expecting trials of AL fascists responsible for the killings during the July uprising and at the same time of the聽 political parties responsible for the killing of Bengalis during the Liberation War in 1971, Bazlur Rashid said.
Bangladesh Students鈥� Union in a statement issued on Sunday called for an immediate initiation of judicial proceedings against the Awami League and the Jamaat-e-Islami, labelling both as organisations responsible for genocide.
鈥榃e expect that just as the interim government has taken steps to prosecute those responsible for killings committed during the July uprising, it will show similar initiatives in pursuing justice for one of the most heinous events in world history 鈥� the genocide carried out against the freedom-seeking people of this country by Jamaat-e-Islami and its collaborators together with the Pakistani military,鈥� the statement read.
The student organisation described the politics of both the Awami League and the Jamaat as a threat to the country鈥檚 democratic system.
Gana Adhikar Parishad also welcomed the decision to ban AL activities.
At a press conference, party president Nurul Haque Nur welcomed the government decision and announced that the party will submit a written complaint to the Election Commission in this regard today.
The complaint will demand the cancellation of the Awami League鈥檚 registration as a political party as well as that of the Jatiya Party.
The Jamaat on Saturday night held a thanks-giving rally at Moghbazar in the city after the announcement of the government decision to ban all activities of the Awami League.
At the rally, Jamaat ameer Shafiqur Rahman said that while the ban on the Awami League activities has partially met a long-standing demand, the full objectives are yet to be achieved.
He said a July proclamation is yet to be issued, stressing the need to move forward step by step with patience.
Jatiya Party chair Ghulam Muhammad Quader said they believe in multi-party democracy and are against imposing ban on any political party.
While exchanging views with the central committee of Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, Jatiya Party鈥檚 student wing, on Saturday at his Banani office, GM Quader said his party has opposed when the AL government imposed a ban on the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami during the July uprising in 2024.
