Bangladesh interim govt revokes Sheikh Hasina’s ban on Jamaat-e-Islami

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s interim govt lifted with immediate effect Wednesday the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, stressing that the organisations are not involved in terrorist activities. The ministry of home affairs issued a notification withdrawing the ban imposed by the Sheikh Hasina- led and now ousted Awami League govt.”We can’t be part of that narrative,” law adviser Asif Nazrul told reporters, adding that they feel Awami League did not ban Jamaat-Shibir on any moral ground.
Nazrul said there were demands from various quarters but Awami League did not ban Jamaat in the last 15 years but did so at a special moment during the students’ movement.

Govt says in its gazette notification that there is no specific evidence of Jamaat, Shibir and its front organisations being involved in terrorist activities and that govt believes the organisations are not involved in terrorist activities.

Earlier, on Aug 1, the Hasina govt issued a notification banning Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Chhatra Shibir, and all related organisations under anti-terrorism laws. A high court ruling of Aug 1, 2013 had declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami null and void, and on Dec 7, 2018, Election Commission issued a notification cancelling its registration. A Jamaat-e-Islami appeal was dismissed on Nov 19, 2023 by Supreme Court’s appellate division.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s amir, Shafiqur Rahman, said Tuesday Awami League’s govt had destroyed all institutions. These need to be fixed first before holding the next national polls, he told journalists working for Indian media at an office in Dhaka’s Moghbazar. He said Hasina should not have left the country in the face of the student-led mass uprising. This is unbecoming of a politician, he said, adding, “It would have been better had Ganabhaban (PM’s official residence) not been overrun.”