Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami regains registration!

The country's highest court, the Appellate Division, has ordered the Election Commission (EC) to restore the registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a cancelled political party. This Sunday (June 1) morning, a four-member appeal bench led by Chief Justice Dr. Syed Refaat Ahmed announced the verdict. As a result, the party was once again recognized as a legitimate political party.

The verdict said that the Election Commission must immediately restore the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami. However, the court did not give any order regarding the restoration of the party's symbol 'scales'. The jurisdiction to take a decision in this regard has been left to the Election Commission.

On August 1, 2013, the High Court declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami illegal in a writ case. Then on December 7, 2018, the Election Commission issued a notification and cancelled the party's registration. Jamaat-e-Islami appealed against this verdict, but due to the absence of the original lawyer, the appeal bench headed by the then Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan dismissed the appeal in November 2023 as 'dismiss for default'.

Later, Jamaat-e-Islami applied on September 1, 2024 to revive the dismissed appeal. The Supreme Court granted the application and ordered a hearing. The hearing began on March 12, 2025 and ended on May 14. Today, June 1, the Appellate Division announced the final verdict on this matter.

Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddique, Barrister Imran Abdullah Siddique, Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, Barrister Najib Momen and Barrister Mir Ahmed Bin Kashem heard the case in the court. On the other hand, Advocate on Record Ali Azam heard the case for the writ petitioner.

Top leaders of Jamaat were present in the court when the verdict was announced. Among those present were the party's acting secretary general Maulana ATM Masum, assistant secretary general Maulana Rafiqul Islam Khan, advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Jobayer, executive council member Saiful Alam Khan Milon, Dhaka Metropolitan South Amir Nurul Islam Bulbul, North Amir Md. Selim Uddin and many others.

Earlier, on August 1, 2024, during the student-public movement against discrimination, the government banned Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. However, on August 28, the government revoked the ban, allowing the party to resume political activities.

As a result of this verdict, the legal and organizational structure of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was restored. According to political analysts, this decision could have a significant impact on the country's political arena, especially in the upcoming national elections.