The interim government of Bangladesh announced a ban on the student wing of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's party on Wednesday. The decision comes in response to the group's alleged role in violent attacks during student protests that contributed to Hasina's removal from power in August.

Sheikh Hasina, who led Bangladesh for 15 years, fled the country after protesters stormed Ganabhaban, the official residence of the Prime Minister. She had intended to deliver a farewell speech but was forced to leave within 45 minutes under military protection as demonstrators closed in.

According to a government statement reported by AFP, the Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of the Awami League, has been banned under the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Act. The statement accused the Chhatra League of being involved in acts of violence, including "murders, persecution, torture... and other activities posing a threat to public security."

The ban is effective immediately, and officials cited numerous complaints against the Chhatra League during the Awami League’s recent term in office. The group had come under fire for its involvement in violent suppression of protests, which began peacefully in July but escalated when Chhatra League members attacked student demonstrators on university campuses.

Efforts by pro-government forces to quell the unrest only intensified public outrage, culminating in Hasina's ouster. Reports indicate that over 700 people were killed, primarily in confrontations between police and anti-government protesters.

Earlier this month, a court in Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on the day her government was overthrown. Several of her allies have been arrested in the aftermath, including former ministers and senior members of the Awami League, who face accusations of involvement in the violent crackdown on dissent. Key appointments from her administration have also been removed from the judiciary and central bank.