DHAKA: Bangladesh’s new government on Wednesday lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, imposed in the final days by the previous administration led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The new government’s order stated, “The government has cancelled the previous order of August 1, 2024, that banned Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami. The decision will come into effect immediately.” This move marks a dramatic shift in the political landscape of Bangladesh, a country with a population of approximately 170 million people.
Jamaat-e-Islami, a major player in Bangladesh’s political arena with millions of supporters, had been barred from participating in national elections since 2013. The High Court had initially ruled that the party’s charter was inconsistent with the secular constitution of the mostly Muslim nation. Subsequently, Jamaat was excluded from the 2014, 2018, and January 2024 general elections.
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On August 1, 2024, Sheikh Hasina’s government imposed an outright ban on Jamaat-e-Islami under the anti-terrorism act, just days before her dramatic ouster. Hasina, who was re-elected for a fifth term in the January elections widely criticized for their lack of credibility, was forced to flee the country by helicopter following intense student-led protests.
The new government has justified lifting the ban by stating that there was “no specific evidence of involvement with terrorism and violence” associated with Jamaat-e-Islami. The party’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, which had also been banned, will be re-allowed to operate under the new directive.
