From the streets of Dhaka to remote districts, Bangladesh’s Awami League is staging a subtle comeback. Party offices shuttered for months are reopening, flags waving defiantly, banners proclaiming loyalty—no interference in sight. This bold grassroots push underscores the party’s refusal to fade into obscurity.
Purnima Chauhan’s insightful piece in The Diplomat frames these as more than rituals: they’re affirmations of vitality, psyching up cadres for renewal. Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year reign ended abruptly on August 5, 2024. Yunus’s interim government banned the party in May 2025, sidelining it from February elections while jailing leaders en masse.
Exile shadows Hasina and Joy; the rest scatter in hiding or overseas, complicating any restructure. Enter the BNP regime: Will it greenlight the League’s mainstream reentry? Clandestine election support for BNP hopefuls and sympathetic BNP MP comments hint at bridges being built.
Survival or resurgence? Pre-poll data reveals a resilient voter base, no existential threat in sight. True power demands beyond symbols—strategic planning, inclusive agendas, young blood, and decisive leadership to stave off chaos, rumors, and disintegration.
These moves obscure intent: hunkering down or gearing up? A new political dynamic grips Bangladesh, spotlighting Joy as the League navigates uncharted revival paths.