Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami sought an urgent hearing in the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to restore its cancelled registration as a political party.
Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddiqui filed a writ petition on Sunday before a three-member bench led by Justice Zubair Rahman Chowdhury citing the abrupt adjournment of an ongoing appeal hearing and the party's uncertain political future.
The petition argues that the matter is of critical importance as Jamaat's right to participate in electoral politics hinges on the outcome. Following the hearing, the Appellate Division indicated that the issue may be placed on the cause list for Tuesday or Wednesday.
Jamaat's appeal hearing began on March 12 this year following a significant development last October when the Appellate Division revived its previously dismissed appeal. A four-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed passed the order for opening a legal pathway for Jamaat to potentially regain its registration and electoral symbol.
Barrister Siddiqui and Advocate Mohammad ShishirMonir represented Jamaat in court, while Advocate on Record Ali Azam appeared on behalf of the writ petitioner. The revived appeal had earlier been set for hearing on September 1, a date fixed by the Chamber Judge's Court of the Appellate Division.
Jamaat lost its registration status when the High Court declared the party's registration illegal on August 1, 2013. The Election Commission later issued a notification cancelling the registration on December 7, 2018.
Jamaat challenged the High Court's verdict but the appeal was dismissed in November last year by a six-member Appellate Division bench headed by the then Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan due to the absence of the party's lead counsel. As a result, the High Court's decision remained in force.
Amid political turbulence, Sheikh Hasina's government imposed a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir on August 1 under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act during the height of an anti-discrimination student movement. The Home Ministry subsequently issued a notification banning the organizations. However, the decision was revoked later on August 28 and a new notification was issued withdrawing the ban.
