Coalition Serves Legal Notice Demanding Ban on 14 Political Parties

A coalition of at least 36 political parties and organisations, united under the banner of July Unity (July Oikko), has filed a legal notice with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the Ministry of Law, calling for the prohibition of 14 political parties, including the ruling Awami League and the National Party.

The move was officially announced on Tuesday, 16 December, through a statement issued by Israfil Faraji, one of the organisers of July Unity. The legal notice on behalf of the coalition was submitted by Abdullah Al Mahmud (Borhan Mahmud).

The statement alleges that since coming to power in 2008, the Awami League-led government gradually established a fascist-style administration, which culminated in 2014 when the party assumed power without holding elections. According to the coalition, this authoritarian rule persisted for more than fifteen years, with several other parties, including the National Party, acting as collaborators, forming what was referred to as the “14-party alliance.”

The notice further claims that during July–August of the previous year, intense student and public movements forced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior leaders of the Awami League to flee the country, reportedly seeking refuge abroad in India and other nations. Despite this, the coalition alleges, the same political forces are now engaged in conspiracies and subversive activities aimed at destabilising the newly transformed Bangladesh.

A recent incident highlighted in the notice involves an attempted assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, an independent candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency and a frontline July activist and Inquilab Moncho organiser. The coalition argues that the attempt on Hadi’s life reinforces the urgency of banning the Awami League, the National Party, and other parties within the 14-party alliance.

The legal notice seeks immediate government action to prohibit these parties from participating in political activities, citing threats to national stability, democracy, and public safety.

July Unity Coalition: Legal Action Summary

The filing signals a major escalation in Bangladesh’s political landscape, highlighting deep tensions between long-standing ruling parties and opposition coalitions, as calls for accountability and party bans intensify in the wake of political violence.