Overview

• On May 12, Bangladesh's interim government used amended anti-terrorism laws to ban all activities of the Awami League, the former ruling party under Sheikh Hasina.
• The Election Commission subsequently deregistered the Awami League, barring it from participating in future elections until its leaders face trials for alleged abuses.
• Human Rights Watch condemned the ban as arbitrary and repressive, warning it undermines fundamental freedoms and mirrors tactics of the previous administration.
• A draft law addressing enforced disappearances has been criticized for failing to meet international standards, excluding systematic abuses, and offering limited accountability.
• The interim government’s inquiry into enforced disappearances has recorded 1,676 complaints, with 200 victims still missing, but its findings remain underutilized in proposed legislation.