Staff Correspondent: The interim government has officially banned all activities of the Awami League by issuing a gazette under the “Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2025.” According to the newly published gazette, any form of publication, printing, or promotion of the Awami League or in its favor—through press releases, media coverage (print, electronic, online, or social media), or organizing rallies, meetings, or public speeches—has been outlawed.
Legal experts warn that the amended law could be used to penalize media outlets that report on the Awami League, even if it involves historical references. They argue that the law could lead to harassment of journalists, even when reporting past events, unless the party’s current banned status is explicitly mentioned.
Prominent lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua explained, “The law uses the term ‘entity,’ which includes political parties like the Awami League. Previously, under Section 18 of the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act, there were provisions to ban such entities, but not their activities. Now, the ban has been extended to any of their activities. That means the media cannot publish any news about the Awami League.”
He added that under Section 9(3) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, journalists can now be prosecuted for disseminating content that supports a banned organization. “The punishment for such offenses ranges from a minimum of two years to a maximum of seven years imprisonment, along with fines,” he said. “This means if the Awami League declares a special day or commemorates an event, even reporting on that would be punishable.”
Section 9(1–3) of the Act further states that any individual who organizes a meeting, delivers a speech, or disseminates information via radio, television, print, or electronic media in support of a banned organization, or with the intent to promote its activities, commits an offense and is subject to up to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine.
Regarding the documentation of historical events, Barua advised caution: “For example, mentioning the March 7 speech by Bangabandhu must be clearly described as a past event. Any historical narrative must state that the Awami League is now a banned organization to avoid legal consequences. Otherwise, journalists could be harassed.”
Another lawyer, Ruhul Quddus Kajol, argued that the law is not targeted at the media per se. “This law primarily targets individuals or entities actively supporting banned organizations through communication. I believe it won’t be applied to journalistic reporting, but a clarification from the government would be helpful to prevent misunderstandings.”
Previously, the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act only allowed banning of terrorist organizations but did not prohibit the day-to-day activities of political groups. The new amendment closes that gap, enabling a blanket ban on the activities of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations.
The Anti-Terrorism Act was originally passed in 2009 and was deemed effective retroactively from June 11, 2008. Under this act, the interim government has also banned the Awami League’s student wing, the Chhatra League. During its last term in office, the now-banned Awami League government had outlawed Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Shibir.
The interim government clarified in an official statement that the order does not affect freedom of expression for other political parties or individuals. It stated that rational, constructive, or lawful discussion regarding the Awami League or the government's actions against it remains permissible. However, until proceedings at the International Crimes Tribunal conclude, all activities and publications—including rallies, campaigns, and social media posts—by the Awami League and its associate bodies are prohibited.
The statement, issued from the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser’s Office, stressed that the ban applies to all leaders, activists, and members of the Awami League and its affiliates.
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