Awami League will not be allowed to conduct political activities under any name, including a so-called "Refined Awami League" or any alternative platform, as long as the party's activities remain legally banned, Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday.
Speaking at the government's regular press briefing at the Press Information Department (PID) auditorium at the Secretariat, Dr Zahed dismissed specula tion that a reorganised version of the party could take part in the upcoming local government elections.
"As long as the Awami League's activities remain banned, it will not be allowed to organise any political programme under any name-whether it is called Refined Awami League, New Awami League, Grassroots Awami League or anything else," he said.
He said the debate over "soft" or "hard" versions of the Awami League was meaningless because local government elections would not be contested officially by political parties.
The adviser said the government had restored the previous electoral system by repealing the provision introduced during the Awami League's tenure that allowed party-based local government elections using party symbols.
As a result, he said, no political party-including the BNP, Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami or the National Citizen Party (NCP)-would officially contest the local polls.
Dr Zahed said the government had promulgated the Anti-Terrorism Ordinance under which the Awami League's activities were suspended. However, whether the party itself remains banned is a matter for the courts to decide, he added.
The adviser also said a court order prohibiting the publication or broadcast of statements by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina remains in force, alleging that some media outlets continue to violate the directive.
"The government is not adopting an excessively harsh approach, but we expect all media organisations to comply with the law," he said, adding that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would remind media outlets of their legal obligations.
Dr Zahed also said the government plans to establish an Information Commission, although no timeline has yet been set.
