Law & Order
5 months ago

Jamaat faces second ban in independent Bangladesh

Published :

Updated :

Jamaat-e-Islami, the party that opposed Bangladesh's independence and was banned shortly after the country defeated Pakistan in the 1971 Liberation War, is set to face another ban.

The decision comes over 50 years after its initial prohibition in 1972 for 'misusing religion for political purposes'.

The current ban is being imposed because of the party’s perceived threat to public security.

During Ziaur Rahman's rule, the Jamaat regained its political rights, but demands for its ban had emerged as early as the 1990s from the movement led by Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam.

These demands intensified during the 2013 Shahbagh Movement, which sought the highest penalties for war criminals.

Top leaders of the ruling Awami League, who have been in power for the past 15 years, have supported the ban on the Jamaat because of its role in the Liberation War.

However, the demand for the ban has remained unfulfilled until now.

The Jamaat remained active despite losing its registration and being barred from elections due to court rulings.

The party was allegedly involved in the recent violence surrounding the protests of the quota reform movement, which the government has cited as a reason for the ban.

On Monday night, a meeting of the ruling Awami League-led 14-party Alliance reached a consensus on banning the Jamaat.

Law Minister Anisul Huq said the final decision on how to implement the ban will be made by Wednesday.

He clarified that the ban is being imposed because of the recent violence associated with the quota reform movement and will be enacted through an executive order.

Share this news