Awami League, the majority party in the December 1970 general elections in Pakistan, was banned on March 26, 1971 when President General Yahya Khan refused to transfer power to the party. The banned League launched freedom movement and succeeded in carving the state of Bangladesh out of Pakistan. Thus, Awami League emerged as the founder party of Bangladesh, but ironically Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rehman in January 1975 banned all political parties including, Awami League, and established one-party system in the newly-established country under Baksal party. Years after Mujib's assassination in August 1975, his daughter Sheikh Hasina revived Awami League and managed to come to power in 1996. Later, in 2009, Hasina assumed power for a second time and continued to lead the country till August 2024 when she had to escape to India due to a popular movement against her government. In May 2025, the interim government of Dr Muhammad Yunus banned the League.

Despite Hasina's autocratic and repressive rule spanning more than 15 years, Awami League still has its support base in Bangladesh. Thus the ban on the party might be counter-productive. In its May 12, 2025 issue, The Diplomat writes, "Bangladesh's interim government has banned all activities, including the online presence, of the Awami League (AL), led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, until the ongoing trials for crimes against humanity and genocide involving its leaders - these relate to the party's deadly crackdown on the July uprising of 2024 - are concluded."

Why has the interim government banned........

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