HC dismisses writ seeking ban on AL

The High Court on Sunday dismissed a petition seeking to ban the Awami League's political activities and cancel the party's registration.

The order was issued by a High Court bench comprising Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Md Mahbubul ul Islam.

The petition, filed on August 19 by Arifur Rahman Murad Bhuiyan, Executive Director of the human rights organization Sarda Society, also called for the return of Tk 11 lakh crore allegedly smuggled during the Awami League's tenure.

It further sought to ban the Awami League's politics, extend the interim government's term to three years, and address various issues related to the alleged indiscriminate killing of students during the quota reform movement.

The writ named several government officials and institutions, including the Cabinet Secretary, the Secretary of the Public Department of the President's Office, the Chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission, and the Governor of Bangladesh Bank, among others.

During the hearing on August 27, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman emphasised that the interim government had no intention of banning any political party or interfering with fundamental, human, or political rights.

He asserted that freedom of political party management, as guaranteed by the constitution, should not be curtailed and that issues related to past injustices would be addressed through the courts.

The attorney general also pointed out that the writ was not maintainable, as the Awami League was neither impleaded in the writ nor given any notice.

He cautioned against dragging political matters into the court and condemned attacks on the judiciary, expressing concern over the impact on the legal profession and the Supreme Court.