Mujibur Rahman Awami League leader and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, 1973. (more) Awami League political party, Bangladesh Written by Andrew Pereira Andrew Pereira is an editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. He covers a variety of topics, with a focus on Indian politics, foreign policy, and global affairs. Andrew Pereira Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Mar. 11, 2026 •History Awami League, political party in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), formed in 1949. It played a crucial role in the country’s independence from Pakistan in 1971 by leading the liberation movement and wartime government-in-exile. Under Mujibur Rahman (also called Sheikh Mujib), the party led the country’s first government from 1971 to 1975. Following Mujib’s assassination in 1975 and the subsequent period of military rule, the Awami League remained out of power for about two decades. The...

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