DHAKA - Thousands of people rallied on May 9 outside the residence of Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus, demanding he ban the political party of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Yunus, 84, has led an interim government since Ms Hasina was overthrown by student-led mass protests in August 2024 and fled into exile as crowds stormed her palace.

The rally on May 9 came after the sudden departure of Mr Abdul Hamid, a former leader of Ms Hasina’s Awami League party, from Bangladesh early on May 8.

A crowd, mainly made up of young people, had started gathering outside Mr Yunus’ residence on the night of May 8.

Mr Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organiser of the newly formed National Citizen’s Party, said the demonstration would continue until their demands were met.

Ms Hasina remains in self-imposed exile in India and has defied an arrest warrant from Dhaka over charges of crimes against humanity.

According to the United Nations, up to 1,400 protesters died in July 2024 when Ms Hasina’s government launched a brutal crackdown on the opposition, casualties for which she and Mr Hamid are being investigated.

At least three police officers responsible for overseeing airport arrivals and departures have been dismissed for negligence, according to officials, after Mr Hamid’s departure.

While citizens are generally barred from assembling outside the chief adviser’s residence, the student demonstrators were allowed through.

The government said on May 9 it was seriously considering the demand raised by various quarters to ban the Awami League.

“The government has begun communicating with different political parties to reach a final decision on the matter. It has reviewed UN-documented evidence of atrocities committed by the Awami League and its affiliates,” the statement said. AFP

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