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Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is the largest Islamist political party in Bangladesh. The origin of the party can be traced back to the original faction founded by
Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi Abul A'la al-Maududi (; – ) was an Islamic scholar, Islamism, Islamist ideologue, Muslim philosopher, jurist, historian, journalist, activist, and scholar active in British India and later, following the Partition of India, partition, in Paki ...
in 1941. The predecessor of Jamaat which is known as
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP), is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist political party. It is the Pakistani successor to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was founded in colonial India in 1941. JIP is a "vanguard party", whose members are intended to be leade ...
, allegedly opposed the
independence of Bangladesh The independence of Bangladesh was Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence, declared from Pakistan on 26 March 1971, which is now celebrated as Independence Day (Bangladesh), Independence Day. The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March ...
and the dismemberment of Pakistan. Following the
independence of Bangladesh The independence of Bangladesh was Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence, declared from Pakistan on 26 March 1971, which is now celebrated as Independence Day (Bangladesh), Independence Day. The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March ...
, the party was banned along with all other religion-based parties in 1972 by the regime. The ban was lifted in 1976 by the Sayem administration and its leaders were allowed to participate in political activities after 1979, and the current Bangladeshi faction of Jamaat-e-Islami was formed after the ban on religion-based parties was lifted by
Ziaur Rahman Ziaur Rahman (19 January 193630 May 1981) was a Bangladeshi military officer and politician who served as the sixth president of Bangladesh from 1977 until Assassination of Ziaur Rahman, his assassination in 1981. One of the leading figures of t ...
. It actively participated in the pro-democratic mass uprising against the government of
Hussain Muhammad Ershad Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1 February 1930 – 14 July 2019) was a Bangladeshi military officer, dictator and politician who served as President of Bangladesh, the president of Bangladesh from 1982 to 1990. He seized power as a result of a 1982 ...
in 1990. Following the
1991 Bangladeshi general election General elections were held in Bangladesh on 27 February 1991. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) emerged as the largest party in parliament, winning 140 of the 300 directly elected seats. The BNP formed a government with the support of Jamaa ...
, leaders of the party became MPs in the BNP government. Following the
2001 Bangladeshi general election General elections were held in Bangladesh on 1 October 2001. The 300 seats of the Jatiya Sangsad were contested by 1,935 candidates representing 54 parties and 484 independents. The elections were the second to be held under the caretaker govern ...
, the party formed a
coalition government A coalition government, or coalition cabinet, is a government by political parties that enter into a power-sharing arrangement of the executive. Coalition governments usually occur when no single party has achieved an absolute majority after an ...
with the
Bangladesh Nationalist Party The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (), popularly abbreviated as BNP (), is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. It was founded on 1 September 1978 by President of Bangladesh, President Ziaur Rahman, wit ...
(BNP) and two of its leaders received ministerial positions in the
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...
. From 2010, the
Awami League The Awami League, officially known as Bangladesh Awami League, is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. The oldest existing political party in the country, the party played the leading role in achievin ...
government began to prosecute Jamaat leaders for the war crimes committed during the 1971 war under the International Crimes Tribunal. By 2012, eight leaders from Jamaat were charged and three were convicted of war crimes. In August 2013, the
Bangladesh Supreme Court Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was established by Part VI, Chapter I (Article 94) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, adopte ...
cancelled the registration of the party. In early-August 2024, with the surge of
July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after French Revolution, the first of 1789–99. It led to the overthrow of King Cha ...
, the party was again banned by the Awami League government. However, after the fall of the government, the decision was reversed by the newly-established
interim government A provisional government, also called an interim government, an emergency government, a transitional government or provisional leadership, is a temporary government formed to manage a period of transition, often following state collapse, revolut ...
in late-August of that year, and in 1 June 2025, the ban on the party was officially lifted and its registration was reinstated by the Appeliate Division of the
Supreme Court of Bangladesh Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, High Court Division and the Appellate Division, Supreme Court of Bangladesh, Appellate Division, ...
.


History


In British India (1941–1947)

The
Jamaat-e-Islami Jamaat-e-Islami is an Islamist fundamentalist movement founded in 1941 in British India by the Islamist author and theorist Syed Abul Ala Maududi, who was inspired by the Muslim Brotherhood. It is considered one of the most influential Isla ...
was founded in pre-partition British India by Syed Abul A'la Maududi at Islamia Park,
Lahore Lahore ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Punjab, Pakistan, Punjab. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, second-largest city in Pakistan, after Karachi, and ...
on 26 August 1941 as a movement to promote social and political Islam. Jamaat opposed the creation of a separate state of
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
for the Muslims of
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It also did not support the
Muslim League Muslim League may refer to: Political parties British India *All-India Muslim League, led the demand for the partition of India resulting in the creation of Pakistan ** Punjab Muslim League, a branch of the organization above **Unionist Muslim L ...
, then the largest Muslim party in the election of 1946. nor did it support the ''"Composite Nationalism"'' (
Muttahida Qaumiyat Aur Islam ''Composite Nationalism and Islam'' () is a book written in 1938 by Hussain Ahmad Madani, the Dean of Darul Uloom Deoband, espousing composite nationalism: a united India for both Muslims and non-Muslims. The book opposed the Partition of Ind ...
) of the Jamiat Ulama e-Hind. Maulana Abul Ala Maududi, the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami, actively worked to prevent the partition of India, arguing that concept violated the Islamic doctrine of the
ummah ' (; ) is an Arabic word meaning Muslim identity, nation, religious community, or the concept of a Commonwealth of the Muslim Believers ( '). It is a synonym for ' (, lit. 'the Islamic nation'); it is commonly used to mean the collective com ...
. Maulana Maududi saw the partition as creating a temporal border that would divide
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
from one another. He advocated for the whole of India to be
reclaimed Land reclamation, often known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new land from oceans, seas, riverbeds or lake beds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ...
for Islam.


In Pakistan (1947-1971)

After the creation of Pakistan, Jamaat-e-Islami divided into separate Indian and Pakistani national organisations. When
East Pakistan East Pakistan was the eastern province of Pakistan between 1955 and 1971, restructured and renamed from the province of East Bengal and covering the territory of the modern country of Bangladesh. Its land borders were with India and Burma, wit ...
became independent as
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
, the East Pakistan wing of
Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JIP), is a Pakistani Islamism, Islamist political party. It is the Pakistani successor to Jamaat-e-Islami, which was founded in colonial India in 1941. JIP is a "vanguard party", whose members are intended to be leade ...
became Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. Jamaat-e-Islami participated in the democratic movement in Pakistan during the Period of Martial Law declared by
Ayub Khan Mohammad Ayub Khan (14 May 1907 – 19 April 1974) was a Pakistani military dictator who served as the second president of Pakistan from 1958 until his resignation on 1969. He was the first native commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army, se ...
. An all-party democratic alliance (DAC) was formed in 1965. Jamaat head of East Pakistan branch,
Ghulam Azam Ghulam Azam (7 November 192223 October 2014) was Bangladeshi politician and writer who served as Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was vocal in gaining support for Operation Searchlight, a crackdown o ...
was a member of the alliance, which also included '' Maulana''
Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani (12 December 1880 – 17 November 1976), also known reverentially as Maulana Bhashani, was a Bangladeshi politician and statesman who was one of the founder of the Awami League, the oldest and main political party in B ...
and
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...
.


In Bangladesh (1971–present)

Jamaat was banned after the
independence of Bangladesh The independence of Bangladesh was Proclamation of Bangladeshi Independence, declared from Pakistan on 26 March 1971, which is now celebrated as Independence Day (Bangladesh), Independence Day. The Bangladesh Liberation War started on 26 March ...
in December 1971, and its top leaders fled to
West Pakistan West Pakistan was the western province of Pakistan between One Unit, 1955 and Legal Framework Order, 1970, 1970, covering the territory of present-day Pakistan. Its land borders were with Afghanistan, India and Iran, with a maritime border wit ...
.
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...
, the first president of Bangladesh, also cancelled the citizenship of
Ghulam Azam Ghulam Azam (7 November 192223 October 2014) was Bangladeshi politician and writer who served as Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was vocal in gaining support for Operation Searchlight, a crackdown o ...
, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami who moved to Pakistan, the Middle East and the UK. Azam first fled to Pakistan and organized "''East Pakistan Recovery Week''". As information about his participation in the killing of civilians came to light "a strong groundswell of resentment against" East Pakistan JI leadership developed and Azam and Maulana Abdur Rahim were sent to
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. In Saudi Arabia, Azam and some of his followers successfully appealed for donations to "defend Islam" in Bangladesh, asserting that the Hindu minority there were "killing Muslims and burning their homes." Then-President
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (17 March 1920 – 15 August 1975), also known by the honorific Bangabandhu, was a Bangladeshi politician, revolutionary, statesman and activist who was the founding president of Bangladesh. As the leader of Bangl ...
was assassinated in August 1975 by a group of officers of
Bangladesh Army The Bangladesh Army () is the land warfare branch, and the largest component of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. The primary mission of the Army is to defend the land of Bangladesh from any external attack. Control of personnel and operations is ad ...
. post-Mujibur governments were immediately recognized by both Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and Jamaat-e-Islami resumed political activities in Bangladesh. Ziaur Rahman also allowed Azam to return to Bangladesh as the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami. After the end of
Ershad Hussain Muhammad Ershad (1 February 1930 – 14 July 2019) was a Bangladeshi military officer, dictator and politician who served as President of Bangladesh, the president of Bangladesh from 1982 to 1990. He seized power as a result of a 1982 ...
's regime in 1990, mass protests began against
Ghulam Azam Ghulam Azam (7 November 192223 October 2014) was Bangladeshi politician and writer who served as Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was vocal in gaining support for Operation Searchlight, a crackdown o ...
and Jamaat-e-Islami, who were accused by protesters of committing
war crimes A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hos ...
. The protests were headed by
Jahanara Imam Jahanara Imam (3 May 1929 – 26 June 1994) was a Bangladeshi writer and political activist. She is known for her efforts to bring those accused of committing war crimes in the Bangladesh Liberation War to trial. She has been called "Shaheed Jan ...
, a author who lost her elder son,
Shafi Imam Rumi Shafi Imam Rumi (29 March 1951 – 30 September 1971) was a guerrilla fighter in the Bangladesh Liberation War. He was the eldest son of Sharif and Jahanara Imam, the latter of whom wrote about Rumi's experiences and daily life in her memoir ab ...
, in the 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...
. Azam's citizenship was challenged in a case that went to the
Bangladesh Supreme Court Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was established by Part VI, Chapter I (Article 94) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, adopte ...
, as he only held a Pakistani passport. Absent prosecution of Azam for war crimes, the Supreme Court ruled that he had to be allowed to have a Bangladeshi passport and the freedom to resume his political activities.
Bangladesh Police The Bangladesh Police () is the national law enforcement agency of Bangladesh, operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs (Bangladesh), Ministry of Home Affairs. It plays a crucial role in maintaining peace, and enforcement of law and order with ...
arrested Jamaat-e-Islami chief and former Industry Minister
Motiur Rahman Nizami Motiur Rahman Nizami (; 31 March 1943 – 11 May 2016) was a politician, former Minister of Bangladesh, Islamic scholar, writer and a former Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was accused of leading Al-Badr during the Bangladesh War of ...
from his home in Dhaka in a graft case on 19 May 2008 and was charged with war crimes in 2009. He was hanged to death on 11 May 2016. Earlier, two former Cabinet Ministers of the immediate past BNP-Jamaat led coalition government, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Shamsul Islam were sent to
Dhaka Central Jail Dhaka Central Jail was the largest jail in Bangladesh, located in the old section of Dhaka, the country's capital. The jail has been used to house criminals as well as political prisoners, especially during the Language Movement of 1952, the 6 ...
, after they surrendered before the court. As a result, in the parliamentary elections of December 2008, Jamaat-e-Islami garnered fewer than 5 seats out of the total 300 that constitute the national parliament. The
Bangladesh Nationalist Party The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (), popularly abbreviated as BNP (), is a major List of political parties in Bangladesh, political party in Bangladesh. It was founded on 1 September 1978 by President of Bangladesh, President Ziaur Rahman, wit ...
was concerned as Jamaat-e-Islami had been their primary political partner in the Four-Party Alliance. On 27 January 2009, the
Bangladesh Supreme Court Supreme Court of Bangladesh () is the highest court of law in the country. It is composed of the High Court Division and the Appellate Division, and was established by Part VI, Chapter I (Article 94) of the Constitution of Bangladesh, adopte ...
issued a ruling after 25 people from different Islamic organisations, including
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation The Bangladesh Tarikat Federation (; BTF) is a Sufi political party in Bangladesh founded by Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary, Syed Najibul Bashar of the Maizbhandaria tariqah and some Pir-Mashaikh of Bangladesh. Formation The Bangladesh Tarika ...
's Secretary General Syed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, Jaker Party's Secretary General Munshi Abdul Latif and Sammilita Islami Jote's President Maulana Ziaul Hasan, filed a joint petition. Jamaat-e-Islami chief
Motiur Rahman Nizami Motiur Rahman Nizami (; 31 March 1943 – 11 May 2016) was a politician, former Minister of Bangladesh, Islamic scholar, writer and a former Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. He was accused of leading Al-Badr during the Bangladesh War of ...
, Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mujaheed and the
Election Commission An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
Secretary were given six weeks time to reply, but they did not. The ruling asked to explain ''"why the Jamaat's registration should not be declared illegal"''. As a verdict of the ruling, High Court cancelled the registration of the Jamaat-e-Islami on 1 August 2013, ruling that the party is unfit to contest national polls because its charter puts
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
above democratic process. On 5 August 2013, the Supreme Court rejected Jamaat's plea against the High Court. The chamber judge of the Appellate Division Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik while rejecting the Jamaat's petition seeking stay on the High Court verdict, said that the Jamaat could move a regular appeal before the Appellate Division against the verdict after getting its full text. In February 2013, following the verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) and the announcement of death sentence of Delwar Hossain Sayidee (a leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, during the Bangladesh independence war of 1971), supporters of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing,
Islami Chhatra Shibir Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir, commonly known as Chhatrashibir or Shibir, is an Islamic student organisation in Bangladesh. It was established in 1977 as the successor to the East Pakistani faction of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba colloquially known ...
were involved in
anti-Hindu violence Anti-Hindu sentiment, sometimes also referred to as Hinduphobia, is a fear of, hostility towards or actions against the practitioners or religion of Hinduism. It exists in many contexts in many countries, often due to historical confl ...
; law enforcement killed 44 protesters and wounded 250. More than 50 temples were damaged, and more than 1,500 houses and business establishments of Hindus were torched in
Gaibandha Gaibandha () is a town and district headquarters of Gaibandha District in northern Bangladesh. It is a centre of commerce and trade of the Gaibandha District and is located under the Rangpur Division. The area of the city is approximately 10.54 ...
,
Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...
,
Rangpur Rangpur may refer to: Places In Bangladesh *Rangpur Division, one of the eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh. *Rangpur District, district of Bangladesh in Rangpur Division. *Rangpur, Bangladesh, metropolis and a major city in northern ...
,
Sylhet Sylhet (; ) is a Metropolis, metropolitan city in the north eastern region of Bangladesh. It serves as the administrative center for both the Sylhet District and the Sylhet Division. The city is situated on the banks of the Surma River and, as o ...
,
Chapainawabganj Chapai Nawabganj or Chapainawabganj District () is a district of Rajshahi Division. It is located in the north-western part of Bangladesh. The north and western-part of Chapainawabganj is bounded by Malda district, Malda and Murshidabad distr ...
,
Bogra Bogra (), List of renamed places in Bangladesh, officially Bogura, is a city located in Bogra District, Rajshahi Division, Bangladesh. The city is a major commercial hub in North Bengal, Northern Bangladesh. It is the second largest city in te ...
and in many other districts of the country, By March 2013, more than 87 people had been killed by law enforcement agencies. Jamaat-e-Islami supporters called for the fall of the Awami League regime. Jamaat-e-Islami supporters have been accused of murdering opponent political party activists and instigating religious riots by spreading fraudulent news. As a result of Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir's support for the Bangladesh student quota protests, Hasina's regime decided to fully ban the party on 1 August 2024. However, it was reversed on 28 August 2024 and the ban on Jamaat-Shibir and its affiliated organisations was officially lifted. On 1 June 2025, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami regained registration after a order by the Appellate Division of the Bangladesh Supreme Court.


Ideology

Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and publications claim the party to be Islamic democrat and welfarist. However, third-party and neutral sources identified the party's ideology more aligned with right wing populist
Islamism Islamism is a range of religious and political ideological movements that believe that Islam should influence political systems. Its proponents believe Islam is innately political, and that Islam as a political system is superior to communism ...
. According to a JI publication titled ''An Introduction to Bangladesh Jamaate Islami'', the party aims to turn Bangladesh into an "Islamic
welfare state A welfare state is a form of government in which the State (polity), state (or a well-established network of social institutions) protects and promotes the economic and social well-being of its citizens, based upon the principles of equal oppor ...
". It's incumbent leader,
Shafiqur Rahman Shafiqur Rahman (; born 31 October 1958) is a Bangladeshi politician who is the current Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Early life Rahman was born on 31 October 1958 in Bhatera Union under Kulaura Upazila of Moulvibazar District. His ...
, described his party to be a "modern,
liberal democratic Liberal democracy, also called Western-style democracy, or substantive democracy, is a form of government that combines the organization of a democracy with ideas of liberal political philosophy. Common elements within a liberal democracy are: ...
party, whose ideal is Islam".


Ameer

The Ameer is the title of the head of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. List of ameers:


Controversies


Accusations of war crimes

Many of Jamaat's leaders were accused of committing war crimes and genocide during the independence war of Bangladesh in 1971 and several had been convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal.


International Crimes Tribunal

By November 2011, the International Crimes Tribunal had charged two BNP leaders and ten Jamaat leaders with
war crimes A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or intentionally killing prisoners of war, torture, taking hos ...
committed during the
Bangladesh War of Independence The Bangladesh Liberation War (, ), also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, was an War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Bengali nationalism, Bengali nationalist and self-determination movement in East Pakistan, which res ...
and
1971 Bangladesh genocide The Bangladesh genocide was the ethnic cleansing of Bengalis residing in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the Bangladesh Liberation War, perpetrated by the Pakistan Army and the Razakar (Pakistan), Razakars. It began on 25 March 1971, as ...
. Abul Kalam Azad, a nationally known Islamic cleric and a former member of Jamaat, was charged with
genocide Genocide is violence that targets individuals because of their membership of a group and aims at the destruction of a people. Raphael Lemkin, who first coined the term, defined genocide as "the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group" by ...
, rape, abduction, confinement and
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
. He was tried ''
in absentia ''In Absentia'' is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 24 September 2002. The album marked several changes for the band, with it being the first with new drummer Gavin Harrison and the f ...
'' after having fled the country; police believed that he is in Pakistan. In January 2013, Azad was the first suspect to be convicted in the trials; he was found guilty of seven of eight charges and sentenced to death by hanging. Azad's defence lawyer, a prominent Supreme Court lawyer appointed by the state, did not have any witnesses in the case; he said Azad's family failed to cooperate in helping locate witnesses and refused to testify as there was no chance of a fair trial. The summary of verdict in the conviction of Abdul Quader Mollah recognized the role played by Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing ('Islami Chatra Sangha') as collaborators with the
Pakistan Army The Pakistan Army (, ), commonly known as the Pak Army (), is the Land warfare, land service branch and the largest component of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president of Pakistan is the Commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the army. The ...
in 1971. The party was found guilty of forming paramilitary forces, such as
Razakar Razakar (رضا کار) is etymologically an Arabic word which literally means volunteer. The word is also common in Urdu language as a loanword. On the other hand, in Bangladesh, razakar is a pejorative word meaning a traitor or Judas. In Paki ...
and
Al-Badr The Al-Badr (; ; ) was an East Pakistani militia composed mainly of pro-Pakistan people, which operated in East Pakistan against the Bengali nationalist movement during the Bangladesh War of Independence, under the patronage of the Governmen ...
. It was said to have taken part in the systematic
genocide Genocide is violence that targets individuals because of their membership of a group and aims at the destruction of a people. Raphael Lemkin, who first coined the term, defined genocide as "the destruction of a nation or of an ethnic group" by ...
of the Bangladeshi people and other violent activities. As a result of the trials, the activists of the 2013 Shahbag Protest have demanded that the government ban Jamaat from Bangladeshi politics. In response, the government started drafting a bill to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics. On 28 February 2013,
Delwar Hossain Sayeedi Delwar Hossain Sayeedi (2 February 1940 – 14 August 2023), widely known as Allama Sayeedi, was a Bangladeshi Islamic leader, politician, scholar and public speaker who served as a Member of Parliament representing Pirojpur-1 constituency fro ...
, the deputy Ameer of Jamaat, was found guilty of genocide, rape and religious persecution. He was sentenced to death by hanging. His defence lawyer had earlier complained that a witness who was supposed to testify for him was abducted from the gates of the courthouse on 5 November 2012, reportedly by police, and has not been heard from since. The government did not seem to take the issue seriously after the prosecution denied there was a problem. It is presumed that the security forces killed the witness as the entire judicial process was to vanish the opposition. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, senior assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami was indicted on 7 June 2012 on 7 counts of crimes against humanity. On 9 May 2013, he was convicted and given the death penalty on five counts of mass killings, rape, torture and kidnapping. Ghulam Azam, ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh until 2000 was found guilty by the ICT on five counts. Incitement, conspiracy, planning, abatement and failure to prevent murder. He was sentenced on 15 July 2013 to 90 years imprisonment.
Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed (; 23 June 1948 – 22 November 2015) was a Bangladeshi politician and war criminal who served as a Member of Parliament and as the Minister of Social Welfare from 2001 to 2006. He was sentenced to death after tri ...
, Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami was sentenced to death by hanging on 22 November 2015.
Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin (; born 27 November 1948) is a British citizen convicted of war crimes committed during the Bangladesh War of Independence which involved the killing of intellectuals in collaboration with the Pakistan Army. After the l ...
, who fled to the UK after the independence of Bangladesh and a leader of the London-based Jamaat organisation Dawatul Islam, was indicted for crimes against humanity and genocide and being a leader of the Al-Badr militia. He is also accused of the murder of East Pakistan's top intellectuals during the war, although he has denied all charges. These activities of then ruling government, Awami League, were widely criticized in the international community.


Affiliated organisations


Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir

Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir Bangladesh Islami Chhatrashibir, commonly known as Chhatrashibir or Shibir, is an Islamic student organisation in Bangladesh. It was established in 1977 as the successor to the East Pakistani faction of Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba colloquially known a ...
functions as the '' de facto''
student wing A student wing is a subsidiary, autonomous, or independently allied front of a larger organization that is formed in order to rally support from students and focus on student specific issues, typically of those attending college or university. Stu ...
of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, with numerous former leaders advancing to hold prominent leadership roles within the party. The organisation has significant presence at many colleges and universities of Bangladesh, including the
Chittagong College Chittagong College is a public educational institution in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It is a higher secondary school and also a degree awarding college of National University, Bangladesh. It is the second higher secondary school in the region that ...
,
Government Bangla College Government Bangla College () (also known as Bangla College, or GBC) is a public college located in the northwestern part of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka. The college was established in 1962 by Principal Abul Kashem to promote Bangla as a medium ...
,
Dhaka College Dhaka College (), informally known as DC, is a public educational institution of Bangladesh located in Dhanmondi, Dhaka. It is one of the oldest educational institutions in the subcontinent. It offers Honours degree, honours and Master's degree ...
,
Government Titumir College Government Titumir College () is a public educational institution in Bangladesh. It is located on the A.K. Khandakar Road in the Mohakhali, Dhaka. This college is named after Mir Nesar Ali Titumir, who was killed fighting against British colon ...
,
University of Chittagong The University of Chittagong () also known as Chittagong University (CU), is a public research university located in Chittagong, Bangladesh. It was established on 18 November 1966. It is the fifth oldest university of Bangladesh. Having an area ...
,
University of Dhaka The University of Dhaka (), also known as Dhaka University (DU), is a public university, public research university located in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Established in 1921, it is the oldest active university in the country. The University of Dhaka w ...
,
Rajshahi University The University of Rajshahi (), also known as Rajshahi University (RU), is a Public university, public research university located in Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It is the second oldest and third largest university in Bangladesh. The university's 59 ...
, Islamic University,
Begum Rokeya University Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur () (abbreviated as BRUR), formerly Rangpur University, is a public research university in Rangpur, Bangladesh. Founded in 2008, it is the only generally categorized university in Rangpur Division and the second ...
,
Carmichael College Carmichael College, Rangpur () is a public higher education institution in Bangladesh. Established in 1916 by the then Magistrate Collector of Rangpur, J.N. Gupta and was named after Lord Baron Carmichael. Currently, the college offers education ...
etc. It is also influential in
Madrasa Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
hs. It is the successor of East Pakistan Islami Chatra Sangha, the East Pakistan wing of
Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba () IJT is the largest student organization in Pakistan. It was founded by 25 students on 23 December 1947 at Lahore, Pakistan. Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba is working in Pakistan to eliminate the non-Islamic elements and secul ...
. It is a member of the
International Islamic Federation of Student organizations The International Islamic Federation of Student Organizations (IIFSO) is an international student and youth federation. IIFSO's mission is to "serve, develop, integrate, and represent the Islamic student organizations worldwide while building b ...
and the
World Assembly of Muslim Youth The World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) is an international Islamic educational organization whose stated purpose is to "preserve the identity of Muslim youth and help overcome the problems they face in modern society". Reportedly the world's ...
.


Bangladesh Islami Chhatri Sangstha

Bangladesh Islami Chhatri Sangstha Bangladesh Islami Chhatri Sangstha () is the female student wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Just like Islami Chhatra Shibir which is Jamaat's male student wing, Chhatri Sangstha also has committees in schools, colleges, and madrasas, as well ...
functions as the female student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, being established in 15 July 1978.


Bangladesh Mosque Mission

Bangladesh Mosque Mission functions as the mosque-based wing of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. It is also registered as a social welfare organisation and
non-governmental organisation A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
. Officially established on 25 November 1973, the organisation was registered with the Department of Social Services in 1976. It also manages three educational institutions, including: *
Masjid Mission Academy Masjid Mission Academy, Rajshahi (MMA) (), is a school and college in Ghoramara, Boalia Thana, Rajshahi, Bangladesh. It offers education for students ranging from first grade to twelfth grade (approximately ages 7 to 18). With over 6,000 students ...
* Masjid Mission Academy School & College (boys) * Masjid Mission Academy School & College (girls)


Other organisations

* Bangladesh Adarsha Shikkakh Federation (teachers wing) * National Doctors Forum (doctors wing) * Bangladesh Sramik Kalyan Federation (trade union) * Bangladesh Lawyers Council (lawyers wing) * Bangladesh Chasi Kalyan Samiti (peasants wing) * Samannito Sangskritik Sangsad (cultural wing) * Jatiyo Muktijoddha Parishad (
freedom fighter A freedom fighter is a person engaged in a struggle to achieve political freedom, particularly against an established government. The term is typically reserved for those who are actively involved in armed or otherwise violent rebellion. Termi ...
wing)


Election results


Jatiya Sangsad elections


1991 election


June 1996 election


2001 election


2008 election


See also

*
List of Islamic political parties Below are lists of political parties espousing Islamic identity or political Islam in various approaches under the system of Islamic democracy. Islamic democracy refers to a political ideology that seeks to apply Islamic principles to public pol ...
*
Politics of Bangladesh The politics of Bangladesh operate in a framework of a parliamentary system, parliamentary representative democracy, representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Prime Minister is the head of government and of ...
*
List of political parties in Bangladesh Since 1991 Bangladeshi constitutional referendum, the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, Bangladesh has a fading two-party system, which means that two political parties dominate the general elections, the Awami League (AL) and the Ba ...


Notes

Footnotes


References


Sources

*


External links

* * {{Authority control Formerly banned Islamist parties Islamic political parties in Bangladesh Political parties established in 1941