Elections are currently underway across various bar associations in Bangladesh but candidates aligned with the Awami League have been excluded from the ballots following the ban on the party’s activities after the July uprising.
While these supporters retain their right to vote, they are strictly barred from contesting seats. This trend is expected to persist in the upcoming Supreme Court Bar Association elections, scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday.
The exclusion stems from a special general meeting of the SCBA, which cited the ban on Awami League activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Consequently, the candidacies of 42 individuals have been rejected. Similar developments have occurred in at least 11 other bar association elections nationwide, including in Dhaka, Chattogram and Barishal, where Awami League-aligned lawyers were unable to participate.
Three panels backed by the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and National Citizen Party are contesting the Supreme Court Bar elections, seeking the support of approximately 11,000 voters. Each panel has expressed confidence in its prospects.
Barrister Mahfuzur Rahman, acting secretary of the Bar Association, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the government has prohibited all Awami League activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
He said that, in accordance with the 2025 government gazette and relevant 2026 legislation, supporters of the Awami League, its affiliates and associated organisations are ineligible to stand in the Supreme Court Bar elections.
The decision, he added, reflects both the demands of the July mass uprising and the unanimous resolution passed at the association’s special general meeting.
Reaction from the legal community has been mixed.
One Supreme Court lawyer remarked, “I have never encountered a system where a voter can cast a ballot but cannot stand as a candidate. This is unprecedented and deeply concerning.”
Another lawyer offered a contrasting perspective: “The Awami League is widely regarded as having undermined democratic processes, keeping the country without credible elections for over a decade. The party faces serious allegations before the International Crimes Tribunal, and its activities have been lawfully restricted. Given this context, it is difficult to see how its supporters can reasonably expect to participate in bar elections.”
Awami League-aligned candidates were also barred from recent elections in several district bar associations, including Munshiganj, Mymensingh, Kurigram, Shariatpur, Manikganj, Chandpur, Cumilla and Faridpur. In each case, elections proceeded with participation from BNP, Jamaat and other political affiliates.
Observers note that the absence of Awami League-backed candidates has reduced competitive tension in these contests.
Results have often been predictable, with BNP-supported candidates prevailing, while other parties fielded limited slates.
One source suggested that the lack of contestation has dampened voter enthusiasm. For instance, in the Dhaka Bar Association elections on 29 and 30 April, only 7,069 of more than 20,000 eligible lawyers voted, representing a turnout of approximately 34 per cent.
No Awami League-supported panel contested the Dhaka Bar election.
Nevertheless, some lawyers reported in media outlets that individuals perceived as aligned with the party faced difficulties when attempting to submit nominations as independent candidates.
By comparison, the last elections held under the Awami League government, on 28 and 29 February 2024, recorded a voter turnout of 46 per cent.
The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE) has recently raised concerns about several district bar elections in Bangladesh.
In a statement, the organisation alleged that Awami League-aligned lawyers and independent candidates were prevented from participating in bar association elections between February and April this year.
It further said that obstacles were placed in the way of nomination submissions, with papers rejected on grounds of alleged association with “fascist collaborators”.
The CCBE has written to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, urging action on these matters.
Its letter outlines three demands: ensure equal and non-discriminatory participation for all lawyers in bar elections; investigate allegations of irregularities, obstruction and violence; and guarantee that all legal practitioners can carry out their professional duties without intimidation or harassment.
Among those whose candidacies were rejected for the Supreme Court Bar elections was Motahar Hossain Saju, who had intended to stand for secretary.
He told TIMES, “Bar elections do not permit party-based candidacies; we ran as independents. Yet we were denied the opportunity to contest. This sets a troubling precedent.”
He added that, while allegations of irregularities were made during the Awami League era, opposition supporters were not systematically barred from standing.
On 6 May, the Bangladesh Ganatantrik Ainjibi Samiti, a lawyers’ organisation affiliated with the Communist Party, held a protest rally at the Supreme Court Bar Association premises.
The demonstration addressed alleged irregularities and disruptions in bar elections nationwide. In his address, president SMA Sabur stated, “Many qualified individuals have been excluded from this election process. We stand against such discriminatory practices and call for a return to fair, inclusive electoral standards.”
