Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has restored the political registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamic party. This decision cancels a 2013 High Court ruling that had banned the party from elections for more than ten years.
On Sunday, a four-judge Supreme Court panel, led by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, ordered the Election Commission to bring back Jamaat’s registration and settle pending issues, including its election symbol.
Jamaat had lost its legal status under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She was forced out of power in August 2024 after massive protests and later fled to India. Before leaving office, Hasina had also banned the party in August 2023.
After Hasina’s removal, a temporary government led by Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus took charge. This government canceled Hasina’s ban, paving the way for Sunday’s court decision.
Jamaat’s lawyer, Mohammad Shishir Manir, called the verdict a win for democracy. He said the 2013 ban was politically motivated and that the new ruling shows fairness in the justice system.
Earlier, on May 27, the Supreme Court had overturned the conviction of senior Jamaat leader A.T.M. Azharul Islam. He was sentenced to death in 2014 for alleged war crimes during Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war. Islam was freed from prison on May 28 after more than ten years.
Jamaat-e-Islami had backed Pakistan during the 1971 war, a position that remains unpopular in Bangladesh. The party has long been opposed by Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League, the party of Bangladesh’s founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The court’s decision now allows Jamaat to participate in the next national elections, expected later this year.
In another major change, the interim government banned the Awami League in May. The party is facing trial over accusations of suppressing last year’s protests, which led to Hasina’s removal from power.
