Dhaka, April 27 The members of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association have decided to ban pro-Awami League lawyers from contesting the upcoming annual elections scheduled for May 13 and 14, 2026, citing the legal prohibition on the party’s activities.
The move was finalised at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) of SCBA general members held at Dhaka on Sunday afternoon, local media reported.
The SCBA Senior Vice President Humayun Kabir Manju, a pro-Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) lawyer, chaired the meeting, which was attended by around 300 lawyers.
Citing sources, Bangladesh’s leading newspaper, The Daily Star, reported that the majority of those present were supporters of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
Speaking to the Daily Star, SCBA Secretary Barrister Md Mahfuzur Rahman Milon, who conducted the EGM, said that around 100 members had earlier requested the SCBA leadership to convene the meeting to decide on barring pro-Awami League lawyers from contesting the election, in light of the party’s ban under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009.
He said that the EGM was held accordingly, and the decision was taken on the basis of the opinion of general members.
According to Milon, lawyers affiliated with Sammilita Ainjibi Samannay Parishad or Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad, backed by the Awami League, and those holding positions in these bodies would not be allowed to contest the SCBA election under the decision.
However, the SCBA secretary added that the lawyers would be allowed to contest the election independently, The Daily Star reported.
The May 13-14 election will elect office bearers for 14 executive posts of the SCBA, including president and secretary, for a one-year term, in line with the prior decision of the incumbent executive body.
Recently, a leading international human rights organisation, Justice Makers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly condemned the recent pattern of "irregularities" and "discriminatory treatment" against legal professionals and the cancellation of candidatures of pro-Awami League lawyers in bar association elections in Bangladesh solely on the basis of political ideology.
JMBF alleged that these lawyers are obstructed from participating in elections and cited police interference in the bar associations' polls across multiple districts, including Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Thakurgaon, Panchagarh, Jhalakathi, Khulna, Narail, and Sunamganj, under the ruling BNP-led government.
Expressing grave concern, the rights body called for ensuring an environment in which lawyers of all beliefs can exercise their democratic rights.
Earlier this month, the Awami League strongly denounced a parliamentary bill that effectively banned the party, terming the move a “disgraceful act” and a direct attack on democratic norms.
The remarks came after the parliament passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2026 without altering the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance 2025 issued by the former Muhammad Yunus-led interim government.
Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor