Bangladesh’s top court removes prohibition on biggest Muslim party
(MENAFN) Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has overturned a decade-old ruling that had barred Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist political party, from participating in elections. The court’s Appellate Division on Sunday nullified a 2013 High Court verdict that had revoked Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission, local media reported.
The decision directs the commission to reinstate Jamaat’s political registration, allowing the party to contest future elections, including national parliamentary polls. Lawyers representing Jamaat claimed the original ruling was driven by political motives and argued that Sunday’s verdict restores the foundation for a truly multi-party democracy in the country.
Jamaat-e-Islami has long faced criticism for its role during the 1971 Liberation War, in which Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan. The party was accused of opposing the independence movement and committing atrocities. Its registration was annulled in 2013 following legal proceedings, and in August 2024, just before Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government was ousted, all activities by Jamaat and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir were banned under anti-terrorism laws.
The Hasina administration had blamed Jamaat for war crimes and genocide during the 1971 conflict, with several of its leaders convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal established to try such cases.
Following the fall of the Hasina government, the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus lifted the ban on Jamaat’s political activities. The Supreme Court’s latest ruling comes amid ongoing political tension, largely due to the interim government's failure to announce new elections.
In a parallel development, the International Crimes Tribunal on the same day issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan. They are accused of crimes against humanity linked to the suppression of a major uprising in July 2024. The tribunal's move opens the path for Hasina to be tried, and Bangladesh has formally asked India to extradite her — though New Delhi has yet to respond.
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