Jamaat-Shibir ban notification may be withdrawn today

The notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs banning Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatrashibir as political parties may be withdrawn today (August 27).

When the student movement is at its peak, Sheikh Hasina's government is on the verge of collapse; Just then on August 1, the Awami League government issued a notification banning Jamaat-Shibir politics.

The notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs said, 'Whereas, in the verdict of several cases of the International Criminal Tribunal, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (formerly known as Jamaat-e-Islami/Jamaate-e-Islami Bangladesh) and its affiliate organization Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir (formerly known as Islami Chhatra Sangh) were committed during the liberation war in 1971. He has been held responsible for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.'

The notification further states, 'Since the Bangladesh Election Commission has canceled the registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party in the judgment of the High Court Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh and the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has upheld the judgment of the High Court Division. WHEREAS, the Government has sufficient information to prove that the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliate Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir were directly and indirectly involved in the recent massacres, destructive activities and acts of terrorism; AND WHEREAS, the Government believes that all its affiliates, including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, are involved in terrorist activities. Therefore, the government, under the powers provided in Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, banned Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir and all its affiliates as political parties and organizations. In Schedule-II of the Act, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, including all its affiliates, were listed as prohibited entities.

Regarding the withdrawal of the notification banning Jamaat-Shibir politics, advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir said, “We hope that the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs banning the politics of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir will be withdrawn by Tuesday.

He said, legal battle will be started to get the registration back only if the ban is lifted. The Awami League government banned the Jamaat-Shibir from taking the movement of the students in a different direction.

The party's lawyer also said that since its establishment, Jamaat has been doing systematic politics like other political parties. The party was banned by the fascist Awami government only to prevent a student uprising.

Bandhan/Ciecha/Saa