Jamaat to be banned through executive order by Wednesday: Law minister

Law minister Anisul Huq has said Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will be banned through an executive order by tomorrow, Wednesday.

The law minster made the remark while replying to a query of journalists at the secretariat on Tuesday.

He will sit discuss with the home minister how this would be done.

Earlier, a decision was taken at a meeting of ruling Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance to ban Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student organisation Islami Chhatra Shibir.

Presided over by Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the 14-Party Alliance’s meeting was held at her official residence, Ganabhaban, in Dhaka on Monday evening.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and 14-Party Alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu briefed the journalists after the meeting at Ganabhaban.

Obaidul Quader said, “A decision has been taken at the meeting unanimously to ban the politics of evil forces of Jamaat and Shibir.”

The election commission has already scrapped the registration of Jamaat following a verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal.

According to several sources attending the meeting, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said at the beginning of the meeting that Jamaat and Shibir were behind the recent sabotages, arsons, attacks on police across the country. She had intelligence report on it.

She further said trained Jamaat and Shibir men had gathered in Dhaka from various places of the country for a month and they carried out these atrocities. Decision must be taken regarding Jamaat-Shibir to uphold the spirit of the liberation war.

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader and 14-Party Alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu briefed the journalists after the meeting at Ganabhaban.

Obaidul Quader said, “A decision has been taken at the meeting unanimously to ban the politics of evil forces of Jamaat and Shibir.”

While speaking to newsmen today, law minister Anisul Huq said the statement Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader made is very clear.

"The prime minister also instructed me to take a measure by tomorrow. I will sit with home minister Asaduzzaman Khan soon. We will make a decision in which process the task will be accomplished."

In another question, the law minister said, "Those who launched the quota movement have said they have no connection with the violence. The government has information that those who are militants of Jamaat, BNP, Islami Chhatra Shibir and Chhatra Dal unleashed violence. If the party is banned, the law and order and politics will be improved."

According to several sources attending the meeting, prime minister Sheikh Hasina said at the beginning of the meeting that Jamaat and Shibir were behind the recent sabotages, arson, and attacks on police across the country. She had an intelligence report on it. 

She further said trained Jamaat and Shibir men had gathered in Dhaka from various places of the country for a month and they carried out these wrongdoings. Decision must be taken regarding Jamaat-Shibir to uphold the spirit of the liberation war.

After that, alliance leaders addressed the meeting.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon said there is a necessity to analyse the existing police situation. The issue to ban Jamaat-Shibir came up during the trial of war criminals, but that did not happen. Now the matter can be taken into consideration.

Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JASAD) president Hasanul Haq Inu directly proposed to ban Jamaat and Shibir. He said it is high time to ban Jamaat-Shibir. He also proposed rallies and processions to mobilise public opinions.

Sammobadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua said they must try to move forward the alternative political forces in addition to ban Jamaat and Shibir.

Jatiya Party (JP) secretary general Sheikh Shahidul Islam also called for banning Jamaat and Shibir. He also emphasised taking students to educational institutions and opted for opening of secondary schools and holding examinations.

Following a verdict of the top court, the election commission cancelled registration of Jamati-e-Islami in 2013.

Top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami have been executed on charges of war crimes during the liberation war in 1971.

Jamaat appealed challenging against the High Court verdict scraping the registration. On 19 November 2023, the Applleate Division of the Supreme Court rejected the appeal. So the registration remained cancelled. The law ministry made a draft law a few years back to try Jamaat-e-Islami as a party on charges of war crimes. However, there was no progress over the matter.