Bahrain Shuts Down 45 Organisations, Including Indian Association, Over Inactivity
The Bahraini government has officially moved to dissolve 45 registered social, cultural, and professional organisations and clubs across the kingdom. Among the entities named in the official government order is the "Indian Association," which appeared 35th on the published list of dissolved groups.
The mandate, issued by Bahrain’s Minister of Social Development, Osama bin Saleh Al-Alawi, via Decision No. 57 of 2026, became effective on September 21, 2026. The decree was originally released on September 16 and subsequently published in the Official Gazette.
Why the organisations were dissolved
This decisive action follows a comprehensive review conducted by the Ministry regarding the status of various registered entities. The government identified several reasons for the dissolution, including:
- Prolonged Inactivity: Many of the affected organisations had failed to conduct any significant operations for over five years.
- Governance Failures: Several groups failed to hold their mandatory regular general body meetings.
- Legal Violations: Entities were found to be in breach of existing laws and their own registered bylaws.
The Ministry noted that prior warnings were issued to these organisations, providing them with the opportunity to update their records, contact the Civil Organisations Support Department, and fulfill their legal obligations. Only those that failed to comply or resume active operations were included in the dissolution order.
Not a crackdown on specific communities
Authorities have been careful to clarify that this decision is not a targeted move against the Indian community or any other specific nationality. The dissolution applies strictly to the 45 specific legal entities identified in the government registry. Other Indian clubs, welfare groups, or community organisations registered under different names are not affected by this order.
Other community-linked groups included in the list are:
- The Lebanese Club
- The Malaysian Club
- The Bahrain-Yemeni Brotherhood Association
- The Bangladesh Samaj for Culture, Science, Literature and Arts
- The Turkish Social Cultural Association
The 18-month liquidation phase
Per the official decision, a 18-month timeline has been established for the liquidation process. During this period, strict regulations are in place to protect institutional assets and liabilities:
- Operational Bans: Managers and officials of the dissolved entities are prohibited from making independent decisions or continuing any operations regarding the organisation's funds or assets.
- Mandatory Record Surrender: All administrative files,