Two separate petitions were submitted to the High Court seeking suspension on activities of the Awami League along with ten other political parties that allegedly benefited from their connections with the former ruling party.
The first petition mentioned the AL, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Party (Anwar Hossain Manju), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Ganatantri Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Marxist-Leninist (Dilipa Barua), and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal.
The petition accused these parties of being involved in indiscriminate killings and the erosion of democratic institutions.
It sought a court directive to bar these parties from engaging in political activities and participating in elections.
The second petition called for the annulment of the last three elections—2014, 2018, and 2024—and demanded that those who served as members of parliament during these terms return their salaries and benefits to the treasury.
The petitions were filed by Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Hasibul Islam, three key coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.
Their lawyer, Ahsanul Karim, said: “We have requested a suspension of the activities of these political parties.”
The hearings are expected to be held before a High Court bench led by Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Sikder Mahmudur Razi, according to court sources.
This development follows the interim government’s recent notification of banning the Chhatra League—labeling it a “terrorist organization.”
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement had previously issued an ultimatum demanding the ban, which prompted the government’s action.
In a clarification, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah emphasized that their writ petitions do not seek to impose a ban on the AL as a political entity.
Instead, they contest the validity of the last three elections held under the AL administration.
Their petitions advocate for a temporary suspension of the AL’s political activities until the legal proceedings are resolved.
However, some media reports misinterpreted their intentions, suggesting a complete ban, which Sarjis and Hasnat refuted via social media.
They also sought to have a restriction imposed on the political activities of the AL until the outcomes of the cases are clear.
Ahsanul Karim indicated that the petitions are set to be heard by the aforementioned bench.
Some factions involved in recent anti-regime protests have called for a ban on the AL, which had been in power for over 15 years.
A previous writ petition aiming to cancel the AL’s registration as a political party was dismissed by a High Court bench, which ruled against any immediate actions to restrict political parties.
Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman has said that the interim government has no plans to ban political parties, emphasizing the importance of maintaining their constitutional rights.
He acknowledged the incidents of enforced disappearances and killings during the previous regime but affirmed that banning the AL would be unwarranted given the presence of committed leaders within the party.
Law Adviser Prof Dr Asif Nazrul echoed this sentiment, advocating against the prohibition of political parties unless they engage in terrorism or anti-state actions.
He noted that while the AL has faced accusations of fostering a repressive regime, banning the party outright would not be a viable solution.
