What position will ATM Azhar get in Jamaat?

After being acquitted in a war crimes case and being released after nearly 13 years in prison, Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam has returned to the party headquarters in the capital’s Moghbazar area.

He has been allocated a separate room in the office, but is yet to get any official role in the party. According to party sources, he has been elected a member of the party’s central Majlish-e-Shura.

ATM Azhar was released on Wednesday after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, led by chief justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, unanimously overturned his conviction in a case related to crimes against humanity during the liberation war in 1971.

Since his release, speculation has been rife that ATM Azhar may get the charge of ameer (chief) in the party. However, multiple senior leaders have dismissed the speculations, saying that he has no scope to take up the top position as per the party constitution.

As per rules, the ameer is elected through a direct vote by the party’s sworn members (rukons). The current ameer, Shafiqur Rahman, was elected for a three-year term from 2023 to 2025. His tenure ends on 31 December, after which the party will initiate the next ameer election process.

According to the Jamaat leaders, its central Majlish-e-Shura selects three potential candidates through a secret ballot. These names are then presented before the sworn members across the country, who cast their votes via secret ballot. The voters can also vote for a candidate of their choice beyond the recommended ones.

The election commission counts the votes and announces the candidate with highest votes as the next ameer. ATM Azhar must follow the process to be the ameer, the explained.

It was learned from different leaders that ATM Azhar is likely to be a nayeb-e-ameer (equivalent to the vice president position) of the party. Currently, Jamaat has three nayeb-e-ameers – Mujibur Rahman, Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher, and ANM Shamsul Islam. The party constitution does not specify the number of nayeb-e-ameer, but mentions that it should be determined as per necessity.

ATM Azharul Islam was arrested on 22 August 2011, from his residence in Boro Moghbazar, Dhaka, while serving as the party’s central assistant secretary general. He remained in prison until 28 May 2025.