Amid political turmoil and major changes in the political landscape in Bangladesh, the country’s interim government has confirmed that the Awami League, led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, will not participate in the February 2026 national parliamentary elections due to restrictions on its activities.
Shafiqul Alam, Press Secretary to the Chief Advisor to the Interim Government of Bangladesh, announced that the Awami League, whose political activities are currently banned in the country, will not be able to participate in the upcoming national elections.
During a press conference after the meeting of the advisory council of the interim government on Wednesday, Alam made the remarks in response to a journalist’s question about a letter reportedly sent by US lawmakers to the chief advisor expressing concern over the ban on Awami League.
He said that he had not seen the letter and was not aware of it. However, he stressed that the government’s stand regarding the Awami League is clear.
“Since the activities of the Awami League have been banned and the Election Commission has canceled the party’s registration, the Awami League will not be able to participate in this election,” the secretary said.
The party’s registration has been suspended and its leaders are on trial at the International Criminal Tribunal. Earlier in May, the interim government had issued a gazette notification banning all activities of the Bangladesh Awami League and its affiliated, associate and friendly organisations.
This decision will remain in force until the completion of the hearing of the cases at the International Criminal Tribunal. At that time the Gazette was issued by the Public Security Department of the Home Ministry. It was said in the notification that this action has been taken under the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance.
As Bangladesh heads to national elections almost a year after Sheikh Hasina’s government was ousted from power following a student-led rebellion in July last year, the former prime minister has said that without his party, the election will not be an election but a coronation as the Awami League has been barred from contesting the upcoming elections.
Hasina said, “Elections without Awami League are not elections but coronations. Yunus is ruling without a single vote of the Bangladeshi people, and now they are trying to ban the party that has been elected nine times by the people’s mandate.”
He added, “Historically, when Bangladeshis could not vote for their preferred party, they did not vote at all. Therefore, if this ban on the Awami League continues, millions of people will be effectively disenfranchised. Any government formed by such action will not have the moral authority to govern. This would be a terrible mistake, at a time when Bangladesh desperately needs a process of genuine national reconciliation.”
Elections are scheduled to be held in Bangladesh in February 2026, and political tension is at its peak during this time.
