In a significant legal development, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has directed the country’s Election Commission to restore the registration of the Jamaat-e-Islami party. This decision overturns a decade-long ban initially imposed in 2013 by the government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The ruling was delivered on June 1, paving the way for Jamaat-e-Islami’s potential participation in the forthcoming elections scheduled by June 2026.
The order came from the Appellate Division, helmed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, who instructed the Election Commission to reinstate the party’s legal status. Nevertheless, the decision regarding the party’s use of its traditional “scale” symbol in elections has been left to the Commission’s discretion. The party’s registration had earlier been revoked in 2018 following a High Court decision, on the grounds of its historical opposition to Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 (BSS News).
The court’s decision comes shortly after the Supreme Court’s acquittal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam on May 27. Previously sentenced to death in 2014 by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh for various wartime crimes, Islam was released amid discussions crediting the July-August 2024 mass movement leadership for enabling a judicial review.
The push for Jamaat-e-Islami’s reinstatement gained traction following the 2024 ousting of Hasina’s government amid widespread protests led by groups like Students against Discrimination (SAD). The violent crackdown on these movements resulted in approximately 1,400 fatalities, according to a UN report. Jamaat’s attorney, Mohammad Shishir Manir, expressed optimism for the country’s political landscape, stating, “Today concludes the decade-long legal battle. We hope Bangladesh will have a vibrant parliament after this verdict” (statement).
In the aftermath of these events, the interim government led by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has disbanded the Awami League, initiating trials over its suppression of the 2024 protests. This political vacuum has allowed opposition parties like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to ascend, although BNP has kept a distance from Jamaat-e-Islami. Concurrently, the war crimes tribunal is preparing cases against Awami League leaders for actions during the previous year’s unrest (Al Jazeera).
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