Bangladesh Apex court reinstates Jamaat-e-Islami

DHAKA, June 1, 2025- Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday overturned a previous decision canceling the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing the party to participate in elections after more than a decade of being barred.

The ruling paves the way for the party to regain formal recognition with the Election Commission.

“The election commission is directed to deal with the registration of that party in accordance with the law,” commission lawyer Towhidul Islam told AFP.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s lawyer, Shishir Monir, hailed the decision as a step toward a “democratic, inclusive, and multi-party system” in the country of 170 million people.

“We hope that Bangladeshis, regardless of their ethnicity or religious identity, will vote for Jamaat, and that the parliament will see vibrant, constructive debates,” Monir told reporters.

The party had appealed for a review of its 2013 ban after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August.

Overturned Conviction of Jamaat Leader

The ruling follows a May 27 decision by Bangladesh’s top court acquitting A.T.M. Azharul Islam, a key Jamaat leader, who had been sentenced to death in 2014 for alleged war crimes—including rape, murder, and genocide—during Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan.

Jamaat-e-Islami had backed Pakistan during the conflict, a stance that remains controversial in Bangladesh. The party was a rival of Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founder of Bangladesh and leader of the Awami League.

During her tenure, Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami and prosecuted its leaders.

Awami League Also Faces Legal Challenges

In a related development, Bangladesh’s interim government suspended the Awami League in May pending a trial over its alleged crackdown on mass protests, which led to Hasina’s removal last year.

Trial of Former PM Sheikh Hasina Begins

Meanwhile, prosecutors announced that the trial of fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will begin on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the killing of protesters by police.

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) chief prosecutor Tajul Islam stated on May 12 that Hasina faces at least five charges, including “abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising.”

“The prosecution team is set to submit charges against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina,” said Gazi MH Tamim, one of the prosecutors.

The legal proceedings mark a significant shift in Bangladesh’s political landscape as the country navigates post-Hasina governance.