DHAKA, April 27 — The Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) voted on April 27 to bar lawyers affiliated with the Awami League from contesting its upcoming elections scheduled for May 13–14, 2026, a move decided at an extraordinary general meeting in Dhaka attended by about 300 lawyers. The resolution, proponents say, was motivated by the party’s alleged proscription under amendments to the Anti‑Terrorism Act, 2009.
The meeting was chaired by Senior Vice President Humayun Kabir Manju, who is aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). SCBA Secretary Md Mahfuzur Rahman Milon told attendees the session was convened after members requested clarity on whether lawyers openly supporting the Awami League should be permitted to run. Reports said most participants at the meeting were supporters of the BNP and Jamaat‑e‑Islami.
Under the association’s decision, lawyers linked to Awami League–backed groups such as Sammilita Ainjibi Samannay Parishad and Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad will not be allowed to stand as candidates on party‑affiliated tickets. The SCBA, however, said those lawyers may still run as independent candidates.
The May elections will fill 14 executive posts, including president and secretary, for a one‑year term. The bar’s move is likely to shape the composition and political balance of the SCBA leadership that will represent senior advocates in the apex court.
The decision drew criticism from Justice Makers Bangladesh, a Bangladeshi lawyers’ group based in France, which condemned what it described as discriminatory treatment of lawyers on the basis of political ideology. The group also alleged broader irregularities in bar association elections and cited instances of police interference in several districts under the BNP‑led government.
The Awami League has separately denounced recent legal measures, including amendments to the anti‑terrorism laws that it says effectively proscribe the party, calling such changes a threat to democratic norms in Bangladesh. (IANS)
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/04/28/bdesh-sc-bar-blocks-pro-awami-league-lawyers-from-contesting/
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Publish Date: 2026-04-28 05:10:00
