Bonikbarta Exclusive

Eight decades ago, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh emerged as a political party. For most of its 80-years of existence, the party has remained a political partner or tool of the powerful. Besides Bangladesh, Jamaat also operates in Pakistan and India. Occasionally, in Bangladesh and Pakistan, the party has faced bans as a 'King Maker'. Most recently, on Thursday, the government issued a proclamation banning the party in Bangladesh.

Jamaat-e-Islami has encountered challenges not only in Bangladesh and Pakistan but also in India, facing multiple instances of bans. Over time, authorities have alternately prohibited and engaged with the party according to their political interests.

Founded in 1941 under the leadership of Maulana Abul A'la Maududi, Jamaat-e-Islami initially operated as Islamic Hind during a journey through Lahore's Islamic Park. Shortly afterward, its central office was relocated to Pathankot in India. Initially asserting itself as a social organization, Jamaat advocated for societal change based on Islamic principles. Over time, it evolved from a social to a political organization, becoming significantly influential in the politics of India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

In this context, Dr Badiul Alam Majumdar, the executive head of SHUJAN (Citizens for Good Governance), said to Bonik Barta, “The Jamaat’s influence is on the path of power. This is their place of attraction. The power of the party they go with increases the path of Jamaat. Whatever the public opinion, Jamaat is so attractive for the power of the path. Both Awami League and BNP have played with this party. The Awami League made a movement with them. BNP formed the government with them. If BNP relinquishes Jamaat, the Awami League will immediately take them by surprise.”

Regarding this matter, a former Minister of Water Resources during Ershad's regime, Major (Retd.) Manjur Kader said, amidst cold war and at the later part of 1970s Jamaat-e-Islami experienced growth. In Bangladesh, Jamaat found another opportunity in politics during the tenure of President Ziaur Rahman. Even under Ershad's rule, this trend continued uninterrupted. During this time, the party also received assistance from various Middle Eastern countries. Concurrently, Ershad himself maintained strong relations with Western countries after his departure from Russia. In summary, Jamaat managed to establish itself. However, in subsequent times, other political parties also conducted movements against Ershad or usurped power from him. Nevertheless, due to the global impact of the 2001 Twin Tower attacks, Islam-based politics also influenced Bangladesh. As a result, Awami League did not keep Jamaat with itself anymore."

He also said, 'When Pakistan's Zia-ul-Haq came to power, he maintained relations with the Western world during the Cold War. As a part of this, they also gave Jamaat-e-Islami an opportunity. Later, due to the end of the Cold War, Jamaat-e-Islami lost that place.

At one time, Jamaat-e-Islami raised its voice against the creation of Pakistan. At that time the party was seen in many places as a supporter of the British. The party became active in politics after the creation of Pakistan. The group was divided into two groups. The party was divided into Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami and Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

Jamaat-e-Islami was banned twice during the Pakistan period. The first time was during the reign of military ruler Ayub Khan in 1958. Jamaat was also banned, along with all other parties, during the course of political events that year. Half a decade later, the party was banned again. The party was banned for the second time in 1964, but the ban was lifted in the same year.

In Pakistan in 1977, Zia-ul-Haq took power by overthrowing the then President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto through a coup. From the beginning, he started taking the support of parties like Jamaat to garner public support.

According to an article published in Pakistan's media outlet Dawn, Jamaat-e-Islami supported the 'jihad' against the Soviets in Afghanistan during the tenure of Zia-ul-Haq. The party endorsed Zia-ul-Haq, who led an anti-Moscow campaign in Pakistan. Following his death, Jamaat gradually distanced itself from centers of power in politics. It joined an Islamist coalition (Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad or IJI) under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif in the 1998 general elections to oppose the PPP. During the 1993 elections, IJI disappeared from the political scene. Subsequently, Jamaat repositioned itself as Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan (JI) and decided to contest under the name of Pakistan Islamic Front (PIF) to challenge the party.

In 1975, Indira Gandhi banned Jamaat-e-Islami from participating in politics in the part of Jammu and Kashmir under India's control. This ban was lifted in 1977 just after two years. As a result, the party resumed its activities and worked towards its reorganization. Since 2008, political parties in the Jammu and Kashmir regions have faced challenges that have affected Jamaat-e-Islami as well. The party now places more importance on social welfare activities than on autonomous governance. Additionally, its ideological position has also been impacted.

In 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami took a stance against the Liberation War, which led to significant controversy in the post-independence period. Following this trend, in 1972, all forms of religious-based political parties were constitutionally banned in Bangladesh. This proclamation was made under Article 38 of the constitution. As a result, all political activities of Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh came to a halt.

In independent Bangladesh, after receiving a ban for four years, in 1976, Jamaat-e-Islami managed to overturn the prohibition on religious-based politics mentioned under Article 38 of the constitution. The lifting of this ban allowed them to actively participate in the political arena. However, it took another three years for the party to fully reorganize itself.

At one time, Jamaat-e-Islami was considered a "kingmaker" in Bangladeshi politics. It assumed this role during Ershad's regime when the party gained 10 seats in the 1986 elections under his government. Since then, Jamaat-e-Islami has become significant in Bangladesh's politics. In subsequent years, it participated in movements against autocracy alongside the BNP and Awami League. In the 1991 elections, it won 18 seats and supported BNP in forming the government. However, in 1994, it was involved in a movement against the caretaker government led by the Awami League and the National Party. In the June 12, 1996 elections, Jamaat won three seats. In 1998, it formed an alliance with BNP. In the October 1, 2001 elections, it won 17 seats and became a partner in the government.

After 50 years, Jamaat-e-Islami has once again fallen under prohibition in independent Bangladesh.

Regarding this, Associate Professor Dr Samina Luthfa of the Department of Sociology at Dhaka University said, "War crimes have been proven against Jamaat-e-Islami. The demand to ban Jamaat-e-Islami has been in the air since before 2013. Awami League has not banned Jamaat-e-Islami until now. It has done so in crisis. It has been banned in a time when it is not matter at all. There is a mass uprising regarding other issues. Now, the biggest demand in the table is to stop the killings."