Bangladesh’s interim government, under the leadership of Muhammed Yunus, has made a significant move by lifting the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party. The ban was imposed in the final days of the rule of the now-ousted Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. The decision to lift the ban was based on the lack of “specific evidence” of Jamaat-e-Islami and its associated organization, Islami Chhatra Shibir, being involved in any violent or subversive activities, according to a notice issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The initial ban, enacted on August 1st, 2023, was implemented under anti-terrorism laws. The Awami League government had cited the need to restrict protests during the student uprising in July as justification for the ban. However, the interim government’s decision indicates a shift in approach, prioritizing evidence over political expediency.
A law advisor from Bangladesh, Asif Nazrul, commented that the Awami League’s previous ban on Jamaat-e-Islami lacked any moral foundation. He highlighted that various groups had demanded the party’s ban for 15 years, but the Awami League only acted on it during a specific moment of heightened student unrest.
The Jamaat-e-Islami, a party with millions of supporters, was initially banned from contesting the 2013 elections due to a High Court ruling that its charter violated the secular constitution of Bangladesh. The party’s history is deeply intertwined with the nation’s formation. Established during British colonial rule in undivided India in 1941, Jamaat-e-Islami opposed Bangladesh’s 1971 war for independence from Pakistan and sided with Pakistani troops during the Liberation War. Since 2013, many of the party’s leaders have faced harsh consequences, including imprisonment and even execution, convicted of crimes ranging from rape and abduction to killings.
The lifting of the ban marks a significant development in Bangladesh’s political landscape, raising questions about the future of Jamaat-e-Islami and its role in the country’s political discourse. It also highlights the evolving relationship between the interim government and the Islamist party, signaling a potential shift in approach towards dealing with political dissent and religious groups. The long-term implications of this decision remain to be seen.
