Bangladesh has banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islamic Student Camp under the anti-terrorism law. Bangladesh on Thursday banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islamic Students Camp under anti-terrorism law following nationwide unrest, citing the threat posed by the radical party to public safety.
Recently, the government announced this after quota related protests across the country. Sheikh Hasina government has accused the fundamentalist party of taking advantage of the movement. At least 150 people were killed in the protests, and public property was extensively damaged.
The decision to ban Jamaat-e-Islami was taken in a meeting of the 14-party alliance led by Sheikh Hasina’s party Awami League. During the meeting, allegedly allied parties also appealed to ban the radical party. For example, this is a political party, which is considered fundamentalist in Bangladesh. This political party is included in the supporting parties of former PM Khaleda Zia.
The latest decision to ban Jamaat comes 50 years after the initial ban in 1972 for “misusing religion for political purposes”.
Jamaat was established in undivided India
Bangladesh Law Minister Anisul Haq had announced the ban on Jamaat on Tuesday. Jamaat-e-Islami was founded in 1941 in undivided India under British rule. Hasina government alleges that the students involved in the protests have rejected the allegations that they were involved in violence.
Law Minister Anisul Haq said that there is evidence that student units of Jamaat and BNP (Khalida Zia’s party) were involved in protests across the country, who carried out violence. Awami League has said that before banning Jamaat-Shibir (Student Wing), it will thoroughly investigate all the legal aspects, so that any possible legal loopholes can be avoided.