The Bangladesh Advisory Council recently approved an ordinance to amend the nation’s 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act. Under this amendment, Chief Adviser Mohammed Yunus banned all activities of the Awami League until the International Criminal Tribunal concludes its trial of the party and its leaders. The decision was influenced by a three-day demonstration by the National Citizen Party (NCP)—Bangladesh’s first-ever student-led political party—alongside several other political and student organisations. The emergence of the NCP and the growing momentum of protests by parties and organisations against the caretaker government underscore the arrival of new political players in Bangladesh. However, the shrinking space for secular and rational politics poses a significant challenge for these new entities and the country’s democratic future.
The Rise of the NCP and Bangladesh’s Descent into Chaotic Politics
