Jamaat files appeal to restore its registration

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has filed a petition with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to get back its registration with the Election Commission as a party.

The party’s lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir filed the petition with the concerned branch of Appellate Division on Sunday. 

The lawyer himself confirmed the matter to Jago News. 

He said a petition was filed with the concerned branch of the Appellate Division today to revive the dismissed appeal with regard to the cancellation of party registration. A hearing on the petition may be held at the Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division. 

The High Court in a landmark verdict on August 1, 2013, declared illegal the Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission. The commission issued a gazette notification scrapping the registration of the party on December 7, 2018. 

Later, Jamaat-e-Islami appealed against the judgment of the High Court Division. However, as the main lawyer of the party was not present at the hearing of the appeal against the HC verdict, on November 19, 2023, the Appellate Division headed by then Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan ordered the appeal to be dismissed for default. 

On August 1 this year, the Awami League government banned Jamaat, Shibir and all of Jamaat’s front organisations as political parties and entities under the Anti-Terrorism Act-2009. The home ministry on that day issued a gazette banning those outfits following the law ministry's approval.

On August 28, the interim administration lifted the ban on all activities of Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir, four weeks after it was imposed by the then Sheikh Hasina government.