Bangladesh's interim government mulls banning Sheikh Hasina's party
The interim government of Bangladesh, headed by Muhammad Yunus, is torn between banning the Awami League from politics and elections. The decision comes as various political parties are demanding early elections. The Awami League, which has been headed by former Prime MinisterSheikh Hasina since its formation in 1949, has been a major political force in Bangladesh. However, with Hasina's resignation and leaving the country, the fate of her party hangs in the balance.
Student-led protests fuel calls for Awami League ban
Reportedly, the Yunus-led interim government is considering the Awami League's ban on demands of student leaders who led protests in July-August. The protests had initially started as a campaign for job quota reforms but later snowballed into a mass movement that helped topple Hasina's government. The interim government has already banned the Awami League's student wing, Bangladesh Chhatra League, for its "fascist role" in the protests.
BNP opposes ban on Awami League, calls for early elections
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the largest party in the absence of Awami League, is opposing the proposed ban. BNP and its allies are calling for political inclusion and demanding early elections. They demand that all urgent political reforms should be completed before any elections take place, and legitimacy of Awami League's involvement in politics must be addressed.
'People will decide if Awami League will contest elections'
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "Awami League is a political party, and the people will decide if they will contest elections." He also spoke about accountability saying, "Those who killed people...and laundered the country's money abroad must be brought under the law, tried and punished."
BNP chairperson to make public appearance amid political tension
Meanwhile, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia is set to attend a state function for Armed Forces Day, her first public appearance since she was imprisoned in February 2018. It will also be her first attendance at such a reception in almost 11 years. The political climate in Bangladesh remains tense as the interim government juggles these conflicting demands and the uncertainty of the Awami League's future.
