On August 1, Bangladesh banned the Jamaat-e-Islami party, its student wing, and associated groups, labelling the party as a "militant and terrorist" organisation. This action is part of a broader crackdown following weeks of violent protests that have led to over 200 deaths and thousands of injuries.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her political allies have accused Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, and other affiliated groups of inciting violence during recent student protests over the government job quota system.

In an official notice obtained by The Associated Press, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Home Affairs announced on 1st August that the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliated groups was imposed under an anti-terrorism law. Since July 15, at least 211 people have died and over 10,000 have been arrested nationwide. Jamaat-e-Islami has been barred from participating in national elections since 2014, when the Election Commission cancelled its registration, according to AP.

In 2013, the High Court banned Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in elections, citing that its constitution conflicted with the national constitution by opposing secularism. Despite this ban, the party was still permitted to engage in political activities such as holding meetings, rallies, and making statements.

In 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court's decision, thus concluding the protracted legal battle. This ruling confirmed the party's exclusion from elections and prohibited it from using its symbols. However, the Supreme Court did not impose a complete ban on the party.

Jamaat-e-Islami was founded in 1941 during British colonial rule by a controversial Islamic scholar. During the 1971 war of independence from Pakistan, the party opposed the creation of Bangladesh as an independent nation.

Since 2013, many of the party's top leaders have been executed or imprisoned for crimes against humanity, including killings, abductions, and rapes committed during the 1971 conflict. During the nine-month war against Pakistan in 1971, the party formed militia groups to support the Pakistani military. Bangladesh achieved independence on December 16, 1971, with India's support. According to Bangladeshi sources, the war resulted in the deaths of approximately 3 million people, 200,000 rapes, and the displacement of nearly 1 million people to India.

The party was initially banned after Bangladesh gained independence in 1971 due to its involvement in mass killings during the conflict, which occurred under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding leader and father of the current Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina. The ban was lifted in 1976, a year after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family were assassinated in a military coup. Only Hasina and her younger sister, Sheikh Rehana, survived the coup because they were in Germany at the time.

Jamaat-e-Islami was previously banned twice in Pakistan, in 1959 and 1964, due to its communal actions.

On 1st August, the party did not immediately respond to the latest ban. However, on Tuesday night, party chief Shafiqur Rahman issued a statement condemning the move. His comments came after Law Minister Anisul Huq from Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party hinted that a decision was imminent.

Rahman said, “We strongly condemn and protest the illegal, unauthorised, and unconstitutional decision to ban Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. The 14-party alliance led by the Awami League is a political platform. One political party or alliance cannot make decisions about another political party. The laws and constitution of Bangladesh do not grant such authority. If a trend of one party or alliance banning another begins, it will lead to chaos and the collapse of state order.”

Image source:  Asia News