Washington: A group of US lawmakers has warned Bangladesh’s interim government that suspending political parties and restarting the "flawed International Crimes Tribunal" could jeopardize the credibility of upcoming elections.
Urging a fully inclusive and fair vote, Representatives Gregory W Meeks, Bill Huizenga, and Sydney Kamlager-Dove wrote a letter to Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus and said that banning an entire political organization risks disenfranchising large sections of the electorate and weakening democratic legitimacy.
The move follows the banning of former PM Sheikh Hasina's Awami League Party on 10 May 2025, when the interim government barred all activities of the party under the Anti-Terrorism Act, and its registration was subsequently suspended by the Election Commission on May 12, 2025.
The lawmakers stressed that it was vital for the interim administration to work with parties across the political spectrum to create conditions for free and fair elections that allow the voice of the Bangladeshi people to be expressed peacefully through the ballot box.
They added that they were concerned that this goal could not be achieved if the government suspended political parties or restarted what they described as the flawed International Crimes Tribunal. They warned that such steps could further erode trust in state institutions at a time when confidence is already fragile.
