Ban on Awami League’s activities, gazette notification issued

The interim government has issued a gazette notification imposing a ban on all sorts of political activities of the Bangladesh Awami League and its associate bodies until the completion of the trial of the party’s leaders and activists at the International Crimes Tribunal on allegations of crime against humanity.

The Public Security Division under the home ministry issued the gazette notification today, Monday. The ban came under the Anti-terrorism Act (amended).

Public Security Division joint secretary Ziauddin Ahmed confirmed this to Prothom Alo Monday afternoon.

Earlier, on Sunday, the interim government issued the Anti-terrorism Act (amended) Ordinance including a new provision of imposing ban on persons or any entity (organisation) involved in violence and terrorism.

As per the previous version of the act, to meet the purpose of the act, the government may, on the basis of reasonable grounds that any person or entity is involved in terrorist acts, list such a person in the Schedule or declare the entity prohibited and list it in the Schedule by issuing official gazette notifications.

However, there was no provision in the law regarding the prohibition of the activities of any entity. The new amendment allows the government to impose a ban on activities of any entity.

According to the Anti-Terrorism Act, the term ‘entity’ refers to legal entities, statutory agencies, commercial or non-commercial organisations, group, partnership business, cooperative associations and any organisation comprising one or more persons.

On Saturday, three decisions were taken in the advisory council meeting presided over by chief adviser Muhammad Yunus. As per those decisions, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Act has been amended.

According to that amendment, the International Crimes Tribunal can punish any party or its associate bodies. Apart from that, decisions were taken to protect the country’s sovereignty until Awami League leaders’ trials at the ICT are complete, ensuring security of July protesters and imposing ban on Awami League’s activities, including its activities on cyber space, to ensure safety of the plaintiffs and eyewitnesses in the cases filed with the ICT.

The advisory council also decided to finalise and publish the Proclamation of the July uprising within the next 30 working days.