Bangladesh’s Awami League condemns the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government for weaponizing the judiciary, persecuting political opponents, and suppressing dissent. The party highlights mob-led attacks in court premises, fabricated charges, and international manipulation, calling the actions a violation of human rights and judicial fairness in the country.
In a strongly-worded statement issued on Thursday, Bangladesh’s ruling Awami League party accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of weaponizing the judiciary to suppress political dissent and orchestrate state-sponsored persecution of party leaders and supporters. The statement comes amid a growing political crisis in the country, with widespread concern over judicial impartiality and democratic backsliding.
“The indictment against our party president and other senior leaders is another example of the ongoing witch-hunt against the Awami League,” read the statement released by the party’s spokesperson. “This reflects the gross misuse of the judiciary by the Yunus regime to eliminate political opposition through coercion and fear.”
The Awami League’s charges follow a series of controversial judicial proceedings in which several top leaders from the party were indicted. The party claims that the current regime has turned the judiciary into a tool of repression, deviating from its constitutional role of ensuring justice.
According to the Awami League, the judiciary under the Yunus-led government has become compromised, as it has repeatedly granted bail to hardened criminals and extremist militants, while simultaneously denying legal rights and due process to political detainees, particularly those aligned with the Awami League.
“Under the Yunus regime, we have seen a disturbing pattern—mob-led assaults on arbitrarily detained individuals right inside court premises, often in broad daylight. These actions strip away the victims’ basic legal protections and expose the breakdown of the rule of law,” the party said.
The statement also accused pro-Yunus mobs of influencing judges and attacking defense lawyers. “Judges are now working under pressure from Yunus-backed mobs inside courtrooms. Lawyers who try to defend political prisoners have been assaulted, creating an atmosphere of fear. The judiciary no longer functions as an independent pillar of democracy—it has been turned into a political weapon.”
Adding to the gravity of the accusations, the Awami League pointed to the increasing use of fabricated and edited audio clips, allegedly circulated by regime sympathizers, to justify punitive legal actions. These clips, often shared widely on social media platforms, have been cited by prosecutors and reportedly accepted by judges to issue harsh sentences against opposition figures.
“In direct contradiction to the United Nations’ recommendations, the regime has not only banned our party but used the judiciary to justify this unlawful decision. This is a blatant misuse of power by a kangaroo court,” said the statement.
The party also expressed concern over what it described as a series of state-sponsored pogroms against Awami League members, which included extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and suppression of basic civil rights. It highlighted the July-August incidents in which several party activists were reportedly killed or detained without trial.
“These actions clearly reflect the transformation of the judiciary from a democratic institution into a state-controlled apparatus of repression. The legitimacy of the trial process under the Yunus regime is deeply compromised, and we, therefore, declare our no confidence in its outcomes.”
Calling for international scrutiny, the Awami League urged the global community not to fall for what it called “regime-manufactured evidence” aimed at demonizing the party’s leadership. It appealed to human rights organizations and democratic governments to take note of the erosion of judicial independence and the rise of mob influence in Bangladesh’s legal system.
“We reaffirm our commitment to justice for victims of all political violence, including those from July and August. However, we demand that trials be conducted under a neutral and independent system, free from the influence of regime actors or manipulated public opinion,” the statement concluded.
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As political tensions continue to escalate, the country stands at a critical juncture. The Awami League’s scathing criticism of the judiciary underlines the growing polarization in Bangladesh’s political landscape and raises serious questions about the state of democracy and rule of law in the nation.
