After approval in the meeting of the Advisory Council, the ‘International Crimes (Tribunal) (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2025’ has been issued with a provision for banning or punishing political parties.
The ordinance was issued by the Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Ministry of Law on Saturday (May 10). It was published today (May 11). The President has formulated and issued this ordinance under the powers granted under Article 93 (1) of the Constitution.
Like-minded parties, including the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), have been agitating for the past few days to ban the Awami League. In the face of the agitation, an initiative was taken to amend the International Crimes Tribunal Act in the meeting of the Advisory Council on Saturday (May 10) to ban the Awami League as a political party. The meeting decided to ban all activities of the party until the leaders of the Awami League are tried.
The amended ordinance has added a new section 20(b) under the heading ‘Punishment for organizations etc.’.
This section states, ‘Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any other law for the time being in force, if it appears to the Tribunal that any organization has committed, ordered, taken the initiative, aided, abetted, instigated, conspired, aided or otherwise participated in any offence under sub-section (2) of section 3 of this Act; the Tribunal shall have the power to suspend or prohibit the activities of that organization, to declare the organization banned, to suspend or cancel its registration or license and to confiscate its property.’
The definition of ‘organization’ has also been added to the ordinance. “Organization” means a political party or any entity affiliated, affiliated or associated with that party or a group of persons who, in the opinion of the Tribunal, promote, support, approve, assist or are involved in the activities of that party or entity.
