After the August 5 reshuffle, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has started normal activities including the activation of party offices across the country including Dhaka. Right now, the party is focused on two issues—one of its getting back its canceled registration with the Election Commission (EC) and lifting the party’s ban order. Relevant responsible sources say that Jamaat is making legal preparations to get back the registration. On the other hand, at the last minute of the student-janata movement, the Jamaat is conducting activities in the concerned circles for the quick withdrawal of the order banning the party through the interim government.
A High Court lawyer has already been appointed to take legal and administrative action on both the ban and registration, a top Jamaat source said. He is mediating in this matter with the relevant responsible persons of the government.
On November 19 last year, the Appellate Division rejected the appeal filed against the High Court ruling that the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party was invalid. On that day, senior lawyer AJ Mohammad Ali (who passed away on May 2), who was on behalf of Jamaat’s appeal to the court, applied for six weeks’ time for personal difficulties. Ziaur Rahman. He requested the adjournment of the hearing; But the court dismissed the appeal without considering that application. Through this, the High Court judgment that the registration given to Jamaat-e-Islami is illegal is upheld. Now the Jamaat has decided to appeal again to the Appellate Division to get the registration back.
Meanwhile, at the last minute of the anti-discrimination student movement, Sheikh Hasina’s government banned Jamaat-e-Islami and Islamic student camps on August 1.
Under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification banning Jamaat, student camps and their other organizations. Three days later, on August 5, the government fell in a mass student uprising and Sheikh Hasina left the country and went to India. Sheikh Hasina’s government’s home minister and other ministers and parliament members also went into hiding in the face of public outrage.
Jamaat came into the scene on August 5, the day of this political change. Army chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman held a meeting with the leaders of important political parties of the country excluding Awami League. The army chief told the media that Amir Shafiqur Rahman of Jamaat was also present in the meeting. Amir of Jamaat also participated in the meeting of various parties with the President on the evening of August 5. Then on August 8, Dr. Bangabhaban. Jamaat attended the swearing-in ceremony of the advisors of the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus. On August 12, the chief advisor of the State Guest House, Yamuna. The delegation including the emir of Jamaat held a meeting with Yunus.
According to several responsible sources, in the meeting of that day, a top level leader of Jamaat raised a question that they are meeting with respected advisors under any legal basis. In that meeting, an advisor immediately advised the Jamaat to take legal action in this regard. Jamaat leaders were assured that the court will be completely neutral in this case. However, the Jamaat demands that Sheikh Hasina’s government, which has suddenly banned the Jamaat, should revoke it by the executive order.
In this regard, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar told Prothom Alo, ‘We will proceed in the legal way regarding the registration. Hopefully, we will get justice in court.’
Regarding the banning of the party, this Jamaat leader said, ‘Those who banned it were an illegal government. We do not accept their declaration. Illegal government fell due to public outcry. The current interim government has sought the support of Jamaat-e-Islami in the formation and management of the country. This is proof that we are legitimate.’
It is reported that the Jamaat leaders feel that the attitude of the concerned advisers of the interim government regarding the return of registration and the lifting of the ban is positive.
They claimed that the government wanted to turn the tide of the student movement by banning Jamaat-e-Islami, which did not work. Jamaat and their student organization Islami Chhatra Shibir played an important role in the anti-discrimination student movement and a large number of field level leaders of the party were killed and injured in this movement. However, Jamaat has not disclosed the casualty information yet.
In 2009, Sheikh Hasina’s government set up the International Criminal Tribunal to try top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami on charges of crimes against humanity during the Liberation War. As a party, it took the initiative to prosecute the Jamaat, but that initiative did not go ahead. However, during the last 15 and a half years of Sheikh Hasina’s rule, they banned Jamaat and Islami Chhatrashibir.