Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has submitted an appeal to revive a dismissed application in a bid to regain its registration as a political party.
On Sunday, Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, representing Jamaat-e-Islami, filed the application in the relevant branch of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.
He stated that the appeal, which was dismissed due to default, has been submitted for restoration to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court. The matter is now likely to be heard in the Chamber Judge Court of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division.
On August 1, 2013, the High Court declared the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami illegal and void after resolving a writ petition. Subsequently, on December 7, 2018, the Election Commission (EC) issued a gazette notification canceling Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration.
Jamaat-e-Islami later appealed against the High Court’s verdict. However, due to the absence of Jamaat’s lead counsel during the hearing, the appeal was dismissed for default on November 19, 2023, by a bench led by then-Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan. As a result, the High Court’s verdict declaring the registration of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party invalid remained upheld.
During the anti-discrimination student and public movement on August 1, the government of Sheikh Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir. The Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act, prohibiting Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir, and their affiliated organizations. However, on August 28, a gazette notification was issued reversing the decision to ban Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir.