Jamaat terms decision on its ban as 'stubborn' and 'unlawful'

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has described the decision to ban the party as 'stubborn, unlawful, and unconstitutional' and alleged that the initiative aims to shift the public focus from the "massacre" committed during the quota reform movement.

Shafiqur Rahman, ameer (chief) of the religion-based political party, came up with the statement on Tuesday.

Earlier, the 14-party alliance, which is leading the government under the leadership of Awami League, decided in a meeting on Monday to ban the Jamaat-e Islami in the country.

Protesting the decision, the Jamaat chief said the 14-party alliance, being a political platform, has no authority to take any decision on other political parties or alliances. The constitution as well as prevailing laws has extended the authority to nobody.

“If the tendency of banning a political party by any other party or alliance is introduced, the parties would continue to ban others in future. And there will be nothing called discipline in the country,” he noted.

Shafiqur Rahman mentioned Jamaat as an established democratic party and claimed that they played historic roles in all democratic movements in the country. Recalling the current ruling party’s alliance with them, he said Awami League allied with Jamaat in many movements in the past.

“The demand to ban such a democratic organisation is unlawful and beyond their jurisdiction,” he noted.