Awami League’s Founding Anniversary Today

Today marks the 76th founding anniversary of the Bangladesh Awami League, one of the country’s oldest political parties. The party was established on 23 June 1949 at the historic Rose Garden Palace on KM Das Lane in Old Dhaka, under the name East Pakistan Awami Muslim League. At the time, it was the first organised and influential opposition political party in then-Pakistan.

During its inaugural council meeting, Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani was elected president and Shamsul Haque became general secretary. Although Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was imprisoned at the time, party leaders unanimously appointed him as the joint secretary of the first committee.

In the party’s second council held in Mymensingh in 1953, Maulana Bhashani was re-elected as president and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was elected general secretary. At the third council, which took place from 21 to 23 October 1955 at the Rupmahal Cinema Hall in Sadarghat, Dhaka, the word “Muslim” was officially dropped from the party’s name, and it was renamed the East Pakistan Awami League.

Following Bangladesh’s independence, the party was permanently renamed the Bangladesh Awami League. Since then, it has played a pivotal role in the country’s political history, including the Liberation War and various democratic movements.

However, due to the ongoing political turmoil and the mass uprising of July-August, the party’s current activities have been suspended. The interim government has officially banned all organisational activities of the party. As a result, many party leaders and activists have gone into hiding, and no formal programmes are being observed this year to commemorate the anniversary.

Origins and Historical Milestones

• The East Pakistan Awami Muslim League was founded on 23 June 1949 at the Rose Garden Palace on KM Das Lane, Old Dhaka. Notably, it became the first organised and effective opposition party in Pakistan.
• Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani was elected president and Shamsul Haque general secretary at the inaugural council. Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, though imprisoned, was unanimously chosen as joint secretary.
• In 1953, the second council in Mymensingh saw Maulana Bhashani re-elected president and Sheikh Mujib become general secretary.
• At the third council (21–23 October 1955, Dhaka), “Muslim” was removed from the party’s name, becoming the East Pakistan Awami League.

Role in Language Movement and Independence

• The party was a driving force behind the 1952 Language Movement, leading to Bengali becoming a state language and the establishment of the Shaheed Minar and Bangla Academy in the late 1950s.
• It spearheaded movements against semi-autocracy in the 1960s, including the Six-Point Movement (1966), Agartala Case (1968), and the 1969 Mass Uprising. Having won the 1970 elections, Sheikh Mujib delivered his legendary 7 March speech, and on 26 March 1971, declared independence, initiating the nine-month Liberation War, which resulted in Bangladesh’s sovereignty on 16 December 1971.

Post-Independence and Subsequent Leadership

• Following independence, the party was renamed Bangladesh Awami League and was central to rebuilding the nation.
• The tragic assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and other national leaders on 15 August 1975 decimated the party leadership.
• In 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned from exile to revitalise the party, serving multiple terms as Prime Minister since 2009, and steering Bangladesh toward a “Digital Bangladesh” vision.

Current Suspension of Activities

• Amidst the July–August 2024 mass uprising—sparked by student-led quota protests that turned violent—an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus banned the Awami League and its student wing under the Anti-Terrorism Act, accusing its leaders of crimes against humanity.
• The Election Commission suspended the party’s registration on 12 May 2025, effectively barring it from contesting upcoming national elections.
• Demonstrators, including student groups and their new National Citizens Party, had demanded the ban over allegations of a deadly crackdown during protests, reportedly causing around 1,400 deaths, per UN.
• Trials began in early June 2025 against Sheikh Hasina and other party leaders for alleged mass atrocities, with court appearances from 16 June, and the trials are ongoing.
• Despite domestic bans, leaders in exile, including Sheikh Hasina, have vowed to continue political efforts. The party has described the bans as authoritarian and “undemocratic”.

76th Anniversary Highlights (Planned/Cancelled)

• With formal activities banned, there are no public events today.
• A modest online discussion, tributes at Bangabandhu Bhaban (Dhanmondi 32), and a wreath-laying ceremony at Sheikh Mujib’s mausoleum in Tungipara—organised quietly—were announced via the party’s official Facebook page.