Jamaat Between a Rock and a Hard Place

In recent years, the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has come under intense scrutiny as the political spotlight focused on all of its shortcomings. The crackdown has been met with intense violence from the both the party and the party's student wing, Shibir. In a new development to this ongoing saga, the High Court on August 1 declared the Jamaat-e-Islami's registration with the Election Commission as illegal. The repercussions of this verdict can be huge, with Jamaat, seen as a strong ally of the opposition BNP, unable to take part in the upcoming polls, should its expected appeal be turned down. However, contrary to misconceptions, the party can still function actively in politics, and its members can stand for election individually, just not under the banner of Jamaat.
The verdict does bring several unpleasant issues forward, the most fundamental of which seems to have been brushed surreptitiously under the rug. When the registration system was introduced by the military-backed caretaker government in 2008, Jamaat made wholesale amendments to its constitution to meet requirements and made promises of further change in the future. But the deadlines have long since expired and it does shine an unfavourable light on the Election Commission unable to control the political parties.
Yes, the constitution of Jamaat-e-Islami went directly against our own constitution in that it fails to recognise the state as the highest form of authority. But the EC should be held equally culpable for its inability to act decisively on this subject. Although that won't be the first time Jamaat has gotten off the hook during an army-backed regime. Five other bodies, including Jamaat, were banned from practicing politics in independent Bangladesh as a direct consequence of their active participation in aiding the Pakistan Army. However, they were given the go-ahead to re-enter the political arena once Ziaur Rahman was in power, after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's assassination in 1975. There are definitely more questions that need answering.
As a party, this leaves Jamaat-e-Islami floundering. Its ranks have continued to deplete and the top brass have been indicted on charges of war crimes committed during the Liberation War. It's also necessary to point out that not only does Jamaat's constitution clash with the country's, it also clashes with the Medina Charter, which was signed and put into effect by Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) almost 1400 years ago. The Charter advocates an essentially secular government which is opposed by Jamaat's ideals. There's also the matter of misogyny and discrimination heavy in its ranks as its charter refuses to allow women or people from other religions from holding high ranks in the party. So, unless the party massively edits both its charter and its ideology, it risks being stranded in the political wilderness. And that does not bode well for the security of the state.
The verdict was hailed and slammed in equal terms by various people but the cries for banning Jamaat entirely are undemocratic and should not be entertained unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary. It's more prudent to allow a political party which has been a mainstay of the sub-continent for the last 70 years or so to slowly reintegrate into the system. The alternative, alienating them, might risk bringing unprecedented consequences that could destabilise the country. Already, Jamaat has called for shutdowns starting from August 12 and the agitations could only get worse. Cool heads and a thorough understanding of the democratic rights of Bangladeshi citizens is the order of the day.