Govt issues notification banning Jamaat-Shibir

The government has officially banned Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, through an executive order. 

A notification from the Home Ministry's Public Security Division was issued on Thursday (August 1), formalising the ban on the anti-independence group, which was later gazetted.

According to the gazette notification, in several verdict handed down by the International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (formerly Jamaat-e-Islami/Jamaate Islami Bangladesh) and its affiliated organisation Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir (formerly Islami Chhatra Sangha) were charged with genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War in 1971 and held responsible for the crime.

Besides, the Bangladesh Election Commission canceled the party's registration as a political party of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in a writ petition of the High Court Division.

The Appellate Division has upheld the judgment of the High Court Division, it was mentioned in the Gazette.

The notification also stated that the government has substantial evidence linking Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliate, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, to recent killings, destructive activities, and terrorism. The government believes that Jamaat, Shibir, and all their affiliates are involved in these terrorist activities.

As a result, under Section 18(1) of the 'Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009', Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, along with all their affiliates, have been banned as political parties and organisations. Consequently, Jamaat and its affiliated organisations, including Shibir, have been listed as prohibited entities in Schedule-II of this Act, according to the notification.

This is for the second time, Jamaat-e-Islami is banned in Bangladesh as a political party.