India concerned over ban on AL activities

India has expressed concern over interim government’s decision to ban political activities of Awami League (AL) and all its affiliated, associated, and like-minded organizations.

The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the move did not follow due democratic process.

During the MEA’s weekly press briefing in New Delhi on Tuesday, ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to a query regarding the ban, stating, “As a democracy, we are naturally concerned when democratic freedoms are curtailed in a neighboring country.”

Jaiswal added, “There are established procedures in any democracy when it comes to banning a political party. It appears that those procedures were not adequately followed in this case.”

The weekly briefing resumed after a brief suspension due to recent India-Pakistan tensions. Although most questions focused on regional conflicts, the issue of Bangladesh’s political developments was raised, reflecting growing regional interest.

“India has consistently supported the democratic process in Bangladesh,” Jaiswal said. “The move to outlaw a major political party without adhering to democratic norms is concerning. It restricts political space and undermines democratic freedoms.”

He also reiterated India’s longstanding position: “We hope to see a free, fair, and inclusive election in Bangladesh at the earliest.”