It’s official: Jamaat, Shibir banned in Bangladesh
DOT Desk: The government has banned the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir. This information was confirmed in a notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs on yesterday, reports Dhaka Tribune.
The ban of Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir and other associated organizations came through an executive order under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Prior to the ban, the law ministry gave its legal opinion and forwarded the file to the home ministry.
Afterwards, Law Minister Anisul Huq told reporters that these groups would no longer be able to engage in politics under their current names. Government ministers had been accusing Jamaat and Chhatra Shibir of involvement in the violence surrounding the quota reform movement.
Then on Monday, top leaders of the 14-party alliance, led by the Awami League, agreed to ban Jamaat and Shibir during a meeting chaired by Awami League chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Previously, in 2013, the Election Commission cancelled Jamaat’s registration following a court ruling. Jamaat appealed the High Court’s decision, but the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division dismissed the appeal on November 19, 2023, upholding the cancellation of the party’s registration.