Awami League Activities Suspended Until Trial Verdict; Former PM Hasina Still in Exile
Dhaka/New Delhi, May 12 – Bangladesh has enacted a significant amendment to its anti-terrorism law, officially banning the publication and dissemination of any statements or publicity relating to individuals or organisations charged under the legislation. This move comes just a day after the interim government suspended all activities of the Awami League, the party previously led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.President Mohammed Shahabuddin signed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025 on Sunday night. The signing followed swift approval by the Council of Advisers, the interim Cabinet headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. The law ministry later published the amended ordinance, updating key provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009.
Publicity Ban Targets Statements, Social Media, and Gatherings
The revised ordinance prohibits any form of publicity in support of the accused. This includes press statements, social media content, and public gatherings. The amendment broadens the scope of restriction by replacing the previous reference to "listed individuals or banned entities" with a more general phrase: "any individual or entity against whom action has been taken under sub-section (1) of Section 18" of the act.Yunus’s office clarified that the existing Anti-Terrorism Act did not previously contain provisions to ban the activities of accused entities, making this amendment both necessary and time-relevant.
Awami League Barred Pending Special Tribunal Verdict
This legislative move comes a day after the interim administration banned all political and organisational activities of the Awami League. The party’s ban will remain in place until a special tribunal completes the trial of its leaders. The charges relate to the deaths of multiple individuals during a three-week student-led uprising in 2024.The unrest led to the toppling of Hasina’s 16-year regime on August 5, 2024, following which the 77-year-old leader fled to India. Muhammad Yunus assumed charge as Chief Advisor three days later.
Since then, Hasina and many of her senior party leaders have been facing hundreds of cases involving mass murder and corruption. Several of them have either been arrested or are currently abroad, evading prosecution.