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Despite a formal ban on its political activities, the Awami League is reportedly attempting to reorganise and reassert its presence across the country by reopening party offices at district and upazila levels.
After the mass 2024 uprising, many top leaders of the party fled the country. Senior leaders, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, have been staying abroad, and some are in jail since then.
On 12 May 2025, the immediate past interim government imposed a ban on all activities of Awami League and its affiliated, associate and like-minded organisations, citing that there was sufficient evidence to suggest that the organisations were involved in “criminal and terror ctivities aimed at destabilising the state and instilling fear in the public”. The ban remains in effect.
However, grassroots leaders and activists of the AL are now attempting to rebuild the party’s organisational structure at the local level. Local sources from different districts said efforts are underway to reopen previously closed party offices, reconnect supporters, and hold informal meetings.
In some areas, signboards and banners bearing the party’s name with photos of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina have reportedly reappeared, signalling renewed activity.
Party insiders indicated that efforts are underway to reorganise at the ward and union levels to rebuild networks that were disrupted during the interim period.
According to information sent by our correspondents from across the country, leaders and activists of the Awami League are trying to reorganise and become active again in the changed political context following the parliamentary election through which BNP came to power.
On 21 February, AL activists reopened the district office of the party in Jamalpur. Earlier, on 20 February, several leaders of the Jubo Mohila League chanted slogans in front of the gate of the party president’s political office at Dhanmondi in the capital, placing the national flag and a portrait of Mujibur Rahman there.
Around 8:30am that day, 10-12 leaders and activists of the organisation were seen standing in front of the party office on Road 3/A of Dhanmondi in the capital.
In addition, similar incidents of reopening Awami League offices have recently taken place in Ukhiya of Cox’s Bazar, Purbadhala of Netrokona, Panchagarh, Habiganj, Rajbari, Pabna, Rajshahi, and Baghaichhari in Jashore.
At these offices, party and national flags were hoisted, and portraits of Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina were displayed, along with party banners.
While talking to the Daily Sun, some grassroots leaders of the party said they are hopeful that a democratic environment will be created in the country's politics as an elected government has taken office.
They also said their leaders and activists, who are in jail “unlawfully” for many days, are getting bail now following laws and this makes them confident.
However, while talking to the Daily Sun, a fugitive AL leader said those who are now going to the party offices are doing so to get noticed by the party’s high-ups. They have an intention to seek the attention of the party’s top leadership.
The fugitive leader also confirmed that there is no instruction to do so from the party’s top brass.
He said, “Currently, the ban on our party is still in force. There is no point in engaging in such activities while the ban is in place; the party will not be able to carry out its normal activities in this state. Therefore, our main objective now is to get the ban lifted from the party.”
Political analysts believe that these steps are part of a plan to make a political comeback, especially after the 13th parliamentary election. Although the central leadership remains outside the country, local leaders appear eager to restore the party’s presence.
In this regard, political analyst Prof Sabbir Ahmed said, “Recently, it has been observed that there are indications of renewed grassroots activities of the Awami League in Bangladesh. This may not be unusual, as there could be some form of understanding or arrangement with the newly elected government – such a perception exists among the public.”
He said, “Many people also believe that there may have been signals or involvement from a neighbouring country, and that it had or still has influence over the electoral calculations. It is also being observed that the number of Awami League leaders granted bail has increased recently, which may be part of the overall situation.”
Overall, the political analyst believes this could be part of a broader political package.
“Those associated with the Awami League are expecting a return to normal political activities. However, it is also being said that if everyone returns to normalcy too easily, the significance or accountability of past events may come into question, which many consider unfortunate,” he said.
Asked about the reopening of Awami League offices in different places, BNP Standing Committee Member Abdul Moyeen Khan recently said BNP believes not in revenge, but in multi-party democracy.
He said the party believes in parliamentary democracy and will move forward based on that belief. “We want to clearly declare that BNP is a liberal democratic political party; we practise politics inclusively with everyone, and we do not believe in the politics of revenge.”