Reaction

Wasim Bin Habib talks with eminent citizens, who hail yesterday’s verdict that declared illegal the registration of the Jamaat-e-Islami with the Election Commission.

Shahdeen Malik
In the recent past, the Election Commission refused to register a number of political parties for they had not fulfilled the requirements. And a number of writ petitions regarding parties’ registrations are pending with the High Court.
Against this backdrop, declaring Jamaat’s registration with the EC illegal was not unique, said noted jurist Shahdeen Malik.
Now Jamaat can appeal to the Appellate Division or meet the requirements for registration, he said.
The Jamaat should be banned, he said. Considering that Jamaat’s deregistration with the EC is a welcoming development, he added.

Akbar Ali Khan
Former adviser to a caretaker government, Akbar Ali Khan spoke on the political dimension following the verdict.
The Jamaat can act constructively by changing its constitution in line with the country’s constitution or can work as an underground party.
“So, how Jamaat reacts to the verdict is an important thing to look at,” he said, observing that the issue should be solved politically as well.

 

Shahriar Kabir
It was a much-awaited verdict, said war crimes researcher Shahriar Kabir.  The High Court through the judgement upheld the dignity of the constitution.
But even after the verdict, Jamaat will remain as a political party and can continue its political activities, said Shahriar, executive president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee.
“So, the government should take steps immediately to begin the process of banning Jamaat in the light of the verdict.”
The verdict labelled the party as anti-constitutional. It made the long-cherished demand for a ban on Jamaat stronger, said Shahriar.
Besides, while delivering verdicts in war crimes cases, the International Crimes Tribunal observed that the Jamaat had been involved in crimes against humanity during the Liberation War in 1971.  One of the verdicts even described the party as a criminal organisation, he added.

Nasiruddin Yousuff
The noted cultural activist and freedom fighter in his instant reaction expressed satisfaction over the verdict.
But the question lies whether the party will still be allowed to do politics, he said. If so, the government will have to move to ban Jamaat.
The Jamaat had committed war crimes and its constitution is in contradiction to the country’s charter, Nasiruddin said. So the party has no right to do politics.
He said he feared that there would be some political implication of the verdict.
“Definitely, Jamaat will try to create social instability and so we have to be alert.”

MA Hasan
The verdict reflected aspirations of the people, said freedom fighter and war crimes researcher MA Hasan.
The Jamaat not only sided with the Pakistan army during the Liberation War but has also been spreading wrong messages in the name of religion, he said, adding the verdict would help dispel the wrong philosophy about religion.
Hasan termed the verdict a milestone for the South Asian region.
“The religion-based politics take an alarming turn in South Asia,” he said, adding the verdict would be a positive development in containing the spread of religion-based politics.

Asif Nazrul
Dhaka University Prof Asif Nazrul said he was not clear as to on what grounds the HC had declared Jamaat’s registration illegal.
“If the verdict has been given on the basis of its [Jamaat’s] role in 1971, it is an excellent and praiseworthy verdict.”
But he said, “If the verdict has been given on the basis of religion, it would create a new debate. Many organisations in Bangladesh may be banned in future then.”
And if the court passed this verdict because Jamaat’s constitution contradicts the country’s charter, then “it is unfortunate”, said Nazrul. In that case, no political party in the country will form a federal form of government.
In reply to a question, he said it was not wise to say at that moment that Jamaat would not be able to participate in the next general elections.

politics, he said. If so, the government will have to move to ban Jamaat.
The Jamaat had committed war crimes and its constitution is in contradiction to the country’s charter, Nasiruddin said. So the party has no right to do politics.
He said he feared that there would be some political implication of the verdict.
“Definitely, Jamaat will try to create social instability and so we have to be alert.”

Source: The Daily Star