Bangladesh's transitional government lifts ban on opposition Jamaat-e-Islami

By SM Najmus Sakib

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AA) - The transitional government has lifted a ban on the opposition party Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing, and other associated organizations, effective immediately.

According to an official notification, “no specific evidence of involvement of Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and its associated organizations with terrorism or violence has been found. The government believes that Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Chhatra Shibir, and its affiliates are not involved in terrorist activities.”

The government has therefore revoked the Aug. 1 circular imposing the ban under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009.

The ban was initially imposed by the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, citing allegations that the party was involved in terrorist activities and incited violence during student-led protests in July. Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates strongly denied these allegations and condemned the ban as illegal.

On Aug. 8, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, 84, assumed leadership of the transitional government after Sheikh Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5 amid escalating anti-government protests.

The student-led protests resulted in nearly 650 deaths, according to a UN report.

Jamaat-e-Islami has been engaging in dialogue and cooperation with Yunus’s transitional government, and it was anticipated that the ban would soon be lifted.