Latest news with #Anti-TerrorismAct-2009
NDTV
13-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Sheikh Hasina's Awami League Officially Banned Under Revised Anti-Terror Law
Dhaka: Bangladesh on Monday officially disbanded deposed premier Sheikh Hasina's Awami League under an overnight revised anti-terrorism law, two days after Muhammad Yunus's interim government slapped a ban on its "activities" under the previous version of the law. "A gazette notification has been issued in this regard today," home adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam told a media briefing on Monday. A home ministry official said as per the notification, the Awami League and its affiliated organisations were banned under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2025 until Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) completed the trial of its leaders and activists. He said Section 18 of the revised law empowered the government to declare any "entity" or organisation alongside an individual if they were found involved in terrorism based on reasonable grounds. The original Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009 did not have the provision of banning the "entity". The Election Commission (EC), meanwhile, said it scrapped the Awami League's registration as well, disqualifying the party from contesting polls. "Today, the Ministry of Home Affairs banned the activities of Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated organisations. In continuation of this, the Election Commission decided to suspend the registration of Awami League," EC secretary Akhtar Ahmed said hours after the government notification. Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin two days back told reporters, "We will have to decide to go with the spirit of the present Bangladesh." The Awami League leaders were charged with committing crimes against humanity over the deaths of hundreds of people during last year's anti-government protests by a student platform. The protests resulted in the ouster of Hasina's 16-year-long regime on August 5. On Saturday, the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government's Council of Advisers or the cabinet slapped a ban on "all activities of Awami League", including in cyberspace, under an anti-terrorism law. It said the ban would stay in place until the special tribunal completes a trial of the party and its leaders. The next day, the Awami League rejected the interim government's decision and vowed to carry on its activities in an appropriate manner. Monday's development came as Bangladesh overnight promulgated an ordinance banning the publication or dissemination of statements of individuals or organisations charged under a revised terrorism law. On Sunday night, President Mohammed Shahabuddin promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act, prohibiting any form of publicity, including press statements, social media content, or public gatherings in support of any individuals or entities tried in the act. The president signed the draft hours after the Council of Advisers, effectively the cabinet with Chief Adviser Yunus in the chair approved the ordinance to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009 to ban all activities of a particular entity. The interim administration late Saturday slapped the ban on Awami League saying it would stay in place until a special tribunal completes a trial of the party and its leaders. The revised law prohibits any form of publicity, including press statements, social media content, or public gatherings in support of such individuals or entities. It also broadened the scope of restrictions 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 anti-terrorism law. The Awami League government was toppled on August 5, 2024 as around 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15 -- with many of them victims of retaliatory actions on Awami League supporters or policemen -- according to a UN rights office report. Hasina and most of her senior colleagues in the party and past regime were accused of committing "crimes against humanity" to gouge protestors during last year's student-led movement through mass killing or previous crimes like enforced disappearances. Formed in 1949, the Awami League led the movement for the autonomy of Bengalis in the then East Pakistan for decades and eventually led the Liberation War in 1971. PTI AR SKY SKY (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
The Print
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Bangladesh bans any kind of publicity for individuals, entities charged under anti-terror law
The President signed the draft hours after the Council of Advisers or the interim Cabinet led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus approved the ordinance to amend the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009. President Mohammed Shahabuddin Sunday night promulgated an ordinance amending the Anti-Terrorism Act which prohibits such activities. Dhaka/New Delhi, May 12 (PTI) Bangladesh has banned the publication or dissemination of statements and any other publicity of individuals or organisations charged under a revised terrorism law, a day after it disbanded deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League's activities until the trial of its leaders under the same law. The law ministry later published the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The revised law prohibits any form of publicity, including press statements, social media content, or public gatherings in support of such individuals or entities. The development came a day after the interim administration slapped the ban on the Awami League's activities. The ban will be in place until a special tribunal completes a trial of the party and its leaders over the deaths of people killed during a three-week uprising led by a student platform last year. It also broadened the scope of restrictions 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 anti-terrorism law. Yunus's office earlier said that since there is no provision in the existing Anti-Terrorism Act on the ban of activities of any entity, it was appropriate and necessary to further amend the 2009 law to make it time befitting. Hasina's 16-year-long Awami League regime was toppled on August 5 last year in the student-led violent mass uprising, prompting the 77-year-old former prime minister to flee to India. Three days after her ouster, Yunus took charge as the chief adviser of the interim government. Hasina and many of her party leaders have been facing hundreds of cases, including those of mass murder and corruption, since then. Most of her party leaders and ministers in her government have either been arrested or fled abroad. PTI AR NSA NSA NSA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
