New Delhi: Amid domestic political turmoil, the Bangladesh interim administration has declared August 5 a national holiday to mark the anniversary of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure from the country.
The decision, announced Thursday, is intended to commemorate the July 2024 uprising that led to the collapse of Hasina’s Awami League Government.
The announcement was made by Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
“This step is being taken to commemorate the July uprising, which toppled the Hasina government,” Farooki stated, according to The Dhaka Tribune.
The declaration comes at a time when Sheikh Hasina faces mounting legal challenges. The Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Monday summoned the former Prime Minister and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to appear in court on 24 June.
Both have been labeled as fugitives and are wanted for trial on charges of “crimes against humanity”.
The ICT alleges that Hasina and Khan ordered law enforcement agencies to target, torture, and suppress political activists during last year’s anti-government protests. These events ultimately led to the downfall of the Awami League administration. Hasina left Bangladesh on 5 August last year. The tribunal, meanwhile, has instructed authorities to publish public notices summoning the two accused.
The Yunus-led interim administration last month banned all activities of her party, the Awami League, under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The ban includes the party’s online presence and will remain in effect until the International Crimes Tribunal concludes trials against the party and its leadership.
The ban came amid growing pressure from public protests led by the student-driven National Citizen Party (NCP), which demanded swift action against the Awami League for alleged atrocities during last year’s uprising. Demonstrations culminated in a blockade at Dhaka’s Shahbagh and other areas.
Founded in 1949, the Awami League faces unprecedented legal scrutiny. Its student wing, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, was already banned in October 2024.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
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