The third day of appeal hearings challenging the High Court verdict that declared Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration illegal has concluded.
The Appellate Division, led by Chief Justice Syed Refat Ahmed, has scheduled the next hearing for Wednesday, May 14.
Senior lawyer Ehsan A Siddique, along with Advocate Mohammad Shishir Monir, represented the appeal in court, while lawyer Tawhidul Islam argued on behalf of the Election Commission.
Previously, on November 19, 2023, the appeal was dismissed due to the absence of legal representation. However, a petition was later filed to revive the case.
On October 22 of the same year, the court accepted the delay and restored the appeal for hearing. The proceedings began on December 3.
Jamaat-e-Islami was granted temporary registration by the Election Commission on November 4, 2008. The following year, 25 individuals, including then-secretary general of the Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, former Zaker Party secretary general Munshi Abdul Latif, and President of the Sammilito Islami Jote Maulana Ziaul Hasan, filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the registration.
The petition named Jamaat’s then-amir Motiur Rahman Nizami, secretary general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, and the Election Commission as respondents, seeking the cancellation of the party’s registration.
Following preliminary hearings, the High Court bench of Justice A B M Khairul Haque and Justice Md. Abdul Hye issued a rule on January 27, 2009.
Jamaat submitted several amendments to its constitution between 2009 and 2012, including changing its name from “Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh” to “Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.”
After hearings concluded on June 12, 2013, a three-member larger bench of the High Court, comprising Justices M Moazzam Hossain, M Enayetur Rahim, and Kazi Reza-Ul Haque, declared Jamaat’s registration with the Election Commission illegal on August 1, 2013.
The court ruled that the registration was beyond legal jurisdiction but granted Jamaat the right to appeal.
On August 5, 2013, Jamaat’s request for a stay order on the ruling was rejected by the Appellate Division’s chamber judge, Justice A H M Shamsuddin Chowdhury. Jamaat formally filed its appeal after the full verdict was published on November 2, 2013.
Finally, on November 19, 2023, the Appellate Division dismissed Jamaat`s appeal. Senior lawyers Tania Amir and Ahsanul Karim represented the petitioners, while Advocate Md. Ziaur Rahman appeared on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami’s lawyer A J Mohammad Ali.
