Bangladesh’s Awami League ban a ‘draconian modification’, says rights watchdog
The interim authorities has pledged to revive democratic ideas and respect for human rights earlier than holding a free and truthful common election and has additionally taken a number of optimistic steps, however “these latest measures are disappointing”, it stated.
Following the ban, the Election Fee scrapped the Awami League’s registration, disqualifying the social gathering from contesting polls.
The Awami League leaders have been charged with committing crimes in opposition to humanity over the deaths of lots of of individuals throughout final 12 months’s anti-government protests by a pupil platform. The protests resulted within the ouster of Hasina’s 16-year-long regime on 5 August 2024.
In line with the federal government order, Awami League will stay disbanded till a particular tribunal completes a trial of the social gathering and its leaders over the deaths of individuals in the course of the anti-government protests.
Hasina and most of her senior colleagues within the social gathering and previous regime have been accused of committing “crimes in opposition to humanity” to gouge protestors throughout final 12 months’s student-led motion by mass killing or earlier crimes like enforced disappearances.
Bangladesh’s Worldwide Felony Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants in opposition to Hasina and several other others, together with former navy generals, for his or her alleged function in incidents of enforced disappearances.
The tribunal was established below Hasina’s authorities in 2010 to handle crimes in opposition to humanity dedicated in the course of the 1971 Liberation Struggle.
Fashioned in 1949, the Awami League led the motion for the autonomy of Bengalis within the then East Pakistan for many years and ultimately led the Liberation Struggle in 1971.
In the meantime, the Prothom Alo newspaper on Wednesday reported that Bangladesh Military chief Normal Waker-uz-Zaman has held a vital “officers’ handle”.
Throughout the assembly, Zaman and the navy commanders stated they wished an elected authorities to take cost by December and likewise expressed their dismay over some coverage selections of the interim authorities.
