SC revives Jamaat’s registration appeal

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has revived an appeal seeking to restore Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami’s cancelled registration as a political party. 

The appeal had been previously dismissed, but on Tuesday , a bench led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed issued an order to revive the case.

Jamaat's Supreme Court lawyer, Mohammad Shishir Monir, confirmed the development, with Barrister Ehsan A Siddique representing the party in court. 

The appeal, which was dismissed in 2022 due to the absence of legal representation, has now been reinstated for a full hearing before the Appellate Division.

The case stems from a 2009 writ petition filed by 25 individuals, including Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, challenging Jamaat's registration as a political party by the Election Commission. 

In 2013, a three-member High Court bench declared Jamaat’s registration illegal. Jamaat had sought a stay on that judgment, but the chamber judge of the Appellate Division dismissed the request later that year.

Despite Jamaat's continued legal battles, the Election Commission officially cancelled its registration in December 2018. Tuesday's ruling marks a critical moment for Jamaat, as the revived appeal will allow the party to contest the 2013 decision once again.

The revival also follows a controversial political landscape. During the previous Awami League government, Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, were banned in August. However, after Sheikh Hasina’s exit and fleeing the country amid student protests, the interim government overturned the ban in August 2018, citing a lack of evidence linking Jamaat and its affiliates to terrorism. 

Now, with the appeal back on track, Jamaat-e-Islami may once again fight for its place in Bangladesh’s political arena.