Writ seeking ban on political activities of AL, 10 other parties withdrawn

A writ pleading for the High Court’s order to ban the political activities of  11 political parties, including Awami League (AL), was withdrawn on Tuesday. 

On Monday, three people including Anti-discrimination student movement leader Sarjis Alam filed the writ, pleading for the court’s order, as to why it shall not ban all the political activities of 11 political parties for killing people indiscriminately, destroying democratic organizations and grabbing state power through illegal process, unconstitutionally.

The Law Secretary, Home Secretary, Election Commission and Inspector General of Police (IGP) were made respondents in the writ.

The writ also pleaded for the rule to prevent these 11 parties from participating in all future elections.

The 11 political parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Party (Manju), Ganatantri Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) (Barua), and Socialist Party of Bangladesh.

The petitioners also filed a separate writ which was also withdrawn. This writ was filed challenging the legitimacy of the 10th, 11th and 12th national elections. Cancellation of gazettes of those three elections has been sought there. Besides, a court order has been sought to cancel and subsequently withdraw all the privileges of MPs of those elections.

 At the same time, a rule was sought as to why sedition charges would not be brought against the MPs of those elections.

The government on October 23 banned Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student front of Awami League under the Anti-Terrorism Act- 2009.

The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification in this regard on that day.