Bangladesh to ban Islamist party after unrest: minister
Quader says discussions will be held to finalise process for implementing the ban
DHAKA: Bangladesh will ban the country’s largest Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islaami and its student wing Shibir in the wake of this month’s deadly nationwide unrest, road transport minister Obaidul Quader told reporters on Tuesday.
Representatives of Bangladesh’s governing coalition “...unanimously decided to ban Jamaat and Shibir, taking into consideration their past and present activities,” said Quader, who is also general secretary of the ruling Awami League.
The Election Commission of Bangladesh had already deregistered the Jamaat, a radical right-wing party, after a High Court decision in 2018.
The law minister said discussions would be held on Wednesday with the home minister to finalise the process for implementing the ban, several Dhaka-based media outlets, including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo, reported on Tuesday.
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The decision to ban the Jamaat comes as Bangladesh takes small steps towards normalcy after violence during students’ protests killed around 150 people.
The government said that public and private offices would function normally from Wednesday.
However, internet services haven’t been restored fully, and social media sites like Facebook are down.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also announced that her government would be taking foreign technical assistance for a judicial probe committee, investigating the deaths during the quota agitation, The Daily Star reported on Tuesday.
She said it was to ensure “a thorough and standard inquiry”.
Amid this came the announcement of the ban on Jamaat and its students wing.
“For the sake of the country, the 14-party alliance has decided to ban Jamaat-Shibir to eliminate anti-national evil forces,” Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said after a meeting of the alliance parties.
The meeting took place at Sheikh Hasina’s official residence, Gono Bhaban, on Monday evening.