Bangladesh Lifts Ban on Jamaat-e-Islami

Jamaat-e-Islami — Introduction:

It was a moment of relief for Jamaat-e-Islami when the long-standing ban imposed by the Hasina-led government in 2013 was lifted by the interim government under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus on August 28, 2024. Hasina’s government had originally banned the party on August 1, 2013.

The party, which has millions of supporters, was banned from participating in elections in 2013 after a high court ruled that its charter violated the secular constitution of the country, home to a population of 170 million, mostly Muslims.

Despite the ban, the 76-year-old Hasina secured her fifth term, having won elections in 2014 and 2018—both held without Jamaat-e-Islami or other strong opposition.

This article, therefore, aims to explore the history of Jamaat-e-Islami, the reasons behind its ban, and the potential future of the party.

What is this party?

Jamaat-E-Islami is an Islamic organization founded in India in 1941 by Abdul Ala Maududi. It began as a social movement aimed at transforming societies according to Islamic principles, with the ultimate goal of establishing an Islamic state in India.

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The organization recognized that government reforms were necessary to achieve its objectives, and as it evolved, it became a more complex social and political entity. Despite its political engagement, Jamaat-E-Islami viewed concepts like democracy and secularism with disdain, labeling them as “Haram” (forbidden).

Thus, Jamaat-E-Islami emerged as the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh, gaining influence through alliances with major political groups like the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League.

However, its involvement in Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War, where senior members supported the Pakistani army against Bangladeshi nationalists, tainted its reputation. Following the establishment of the War Crimes Tribunal by the Awami League in 2008, several Jamaat-E-Islami leaders were tried and convicted for war crimes, marking the beginning of the party’s political decline in Bangladesh.

Furthermore, the dream of creating a unified Islamic state was shattered with the partition of India in 1947, resulting in the creation of two independent nations: India and Pakistan. While Pakistan became a Muslim-majority state, India adopted a secular structure with a Hindu majority and a significant Muslim minority.

The partition highlighted the ideological divide between the two countries. Despite the partition, Jamaat-E-Islami did not abandon its goal of establishing a unified Muslim state.

The organization is split into two branches—one in Pakistan and another in India. Bangladesh, then known as East Pakistan, remained part of Pakistan due to its Muslim majority, though geographically distant. The growth of Jamaat-E-Islami was more rapid in Pakistan, where it began actively participating in politics to spark an Islamic revolution.

What led to its ban in the first place?

The ban on Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh can be traced back to a long history of anti-liberation activities and its involvement in war crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.

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One of the earliest protests against Jamaat’s involvement in these crimes came from the Ekattorer Ghatak-Dalal Nirmul Committee, led by Jahanara Imam.

This movement, which began in the early 1990s, aimed to bring war criminals like Ghulam Azam, a key leader of Jamaat-e-Islami, to justice.

Despite early setbacks, the movement intensified when Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League came to power in 2008.

Hasina fulfilled her campaign promise by establishing the International Crimes Tribunal in 2009, leading to the arrest and eventual trial of senior Jamaat leaders, including Abdul Quader Molla, who was executed in 2013.

These events marked the beginning of a series of trials and executions of Jamaat leaders, further weakening the party.

The Shahbag protests in 2013 played a significant role in the eventual banning of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Initially sparked by the life imprisonment sentence of Abdul Quader Molla, the youth of Bangladesh demanded capital punishment for him and other war criminals, along with a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami from politics.

They argued that the existence of a religion-based political party contradicted the secular principles upon which Bangladesh was founded.

The protests, widely supported by social media activism, gained momentum when Jamaat supporters responded with violence, further galvanizing public support for the movement.

The government’s strong response, coupled with the executions of top Jamaat leaders, left the party in a weakened state, leading to its eventual ban from politics.

What does the future hold for it?

The current situation in Bangladesh suggests that Jamaat-e-Islami’s future is increasingly uncertain.

With the loss of many of its top leaders, often through legal actions related to their roles in the 1971 War of Liberation, and the diminishing influence of its traditional financiers, the party’s organizational backbone has been severely weakened.

Jamaat’s historical opposition to the creation of Bangladesh, compounded by its involvement in controversial activities during the war, continues to haunt its political viability.

The ideological rigidity and failure to modernize have further marginalized Jamaat within Bangladesh’s political landscape.

The party’s resistance to organizational reform, reluctance to distance itself from its controversial past, and its inability to build broader alliances within the Islamist movement have all contributed to its decline.

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While younger, reformist elements within the party offer a potential path forward, significant challenges remain in restoring public trust and relevance.

In the absence of a radical shift in leadership or strategy, Jamaat-e-Islami’s resurgence appears highly improbable.

It would require a profound transformation or an unlikely turn of events—a “miracle”—to reintegrate the party into the political and societal fabric of Bangladesh.

Without such changes, its political influence may continue to wane, relegating it to a peripheral role in the country’s future.

Conclusion

Nasrul Islam in Political Islam in South Asia: A critical appraisal of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, opines that the evolution of modern political Islam in South Asia, especially through figures like Maulana Mawdudi, played a significant role in shaping the trajectory of Islamist movements in the region.

Mawdudi’s establishment of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the 1940s marked a clear distinction from the Muslim League (ML), which focused on nationalism and the creation of Pakistan.

Mawdudi, on the other hand, opposed both the creation of Pakistan and later the establishment of Bangladesh in 1971, driven by an ideological commitment to a purist vision of Islamic governance.

While Jamaat engaged in democratic practices and avoided the militancy associated with groups like al-Qaeda or the Islamic State, its anti-nationalist stance during the significant events of 1947 and 1971 hindered its ability to gain widespread popular support in both Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The organization’s core base in Bangladesh remains the educated urban middle class, including professionals such as teachers, doctors, and engineers.

Despite this, Jamaat has struggled to reconcile its ideological goals with the realities of national politics, often allying with secular parties, which has raised doubts about its true commitment to Islamic political theory.

One of Jamaat’s major challenges is its failure to modernize its organizational structure.

The party’s internal processes have remained rigid, and it has not embraced reforms that would open the party to a more democratic and inclusive system of leadership.

This stagnation has led to limited political mobility and diminished its relevance, especially as Bangladesh celebrated its 50th anniversary of independence.

The party’s future now largely depends on younger leaders, who are seen as more reformist and modernist, capable of distancing themselves from the party’s controversial history and rejuvenating its political standing.

In the broader context, Jamaat’s experience illustrates the difficulties Islamist parties face in balancing ideological purity with pragmatic political engagement.

Without widespread social reform and acceptance of its values by the majority, Jamaat’s focus on political revolution has not been sufficient to gain lasting influence.

Written by Mustapha Ridwan