Bangladesh’s Election Commission (EC) announced on May 11 that it is waiting for a formal government notification before deciding whether to cancel the registration of the Awami League, the party formerly led by deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The announcement comes after the interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, banned the Awami League’s political activities under the country’s anti-terrorism law, PTI reported.
“If the gazette is published tomorrow (Monday), we will sit and discuss before deciding on the Awami League’s registration issue,” Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin told reporters.
Under existing Bangladeshi law, the cancellation of a party’s registration with the EC would automatically disqualify it from participating in national elections. The next general election is expected to be held between December 2025 and June 2026.
The ban marks a dramatic shift in the political landscape of Bangladesh, where the Awami League had dominated for over a decade under Hasina’s leadership. The party's potential deregistration is likely to trigger significant political and legal debates in the coming days.
