Dhaka: In a landmark decision on Sunday, Bangladesh's Supreme Court reinstated the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist political party, ending a ban that had been in place for over ten years under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's administration.
The ruling enables Jamaat-e-Islami to rejoin the official roster of political parties maintained by the Election Commission, making the party eligible to contest in the upcoming general election. The interim government, currently in power, has pledged to hold the national polls by June next year.
Shishir Monir, the party’s legal representative, hailed the verdict as a step toward restoring democratic plurality in the South Asian nation of 170 million people.
“This decision supports the foundation of a democratic, inclusive, and multiparty political system,” Monir told reporters. “We believe all citizens, regardless of faith or background, will now have the chance to vote for Jamaat-e-Islami and contribute to a more dynamic and participatory parliament.”
The Supreme Court’s verdict followed the party’s appeal to reverse a 2013 High Court ruling that had revoked its registration. That judgment came during Hasina’s tenure, before her government was overthrown in August by a student-driven uprising. Hasina, now 77, is currently in exile in India and facing trial in absentia for what prosecutors describe as a brutal suppression of protests last year, which the United Nations estimates led to as many as 1,400 deaths.
The court’s decision also closely follows the acquittal of Jamaat-e-Islami leader ATM Azharul Islam, whose conviction was overturned earlier in the week. Islam had been sentenced to death in 2014 on charges of rape, murder, and genocide during the 1971 war of independence, during which Jamaat-e-Islami sided with Pakistan — a historical grievance that continues to polarize Bangladeshi society.
Commenting after the verdict, Jamaat leader Shafiqur Rahman offered a rare moment of reflection. “We are not infallible, either as individuals or as a political party,” he said. “If we have made mistakes, we ask for your forgiveness.”
Jamaat-e-Islami has long been a political adversary of the ruling Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the country’s founding president. Under Hasina’s leadership, the party faced bans and systematic repression.
In a related development, the current interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has suspended the Awami League, pending judicial review of its role in last year’s protest crackdowns.
The restoration of Jamaat’s political status marks a significant shift in Bangladesh’s volatile political landscape, potentially reshaping alliances ahead of the 2026 elections.
