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

Shahdeen Malik
In the recent past, the Election Commission refused to register a number of political parties because 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 Shahdeen Malik, a jurist.
Now Jamaat can appeal to the Appellate Division or meet the requirements for registration, he said.
Jamaat should be banned, he said. Considering that Jamaat's deregistration with the EC is a welcoming development, he added.

Akbar Ali Khan

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

Shahriar Kabir

Shahriar Kabir
The High Court through its judgement upheld the dignity of the constitution, said war crimes researcher Shahriar Kabir.
But Jamaat will remain a political party and can continue its political activities, said Shahriar, executive president of Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee.
"So, the government should take immediate steps towards banning Jamaat in the light of the verdict."
The verdict labelled the party as anti-constitutional. It strengthened the long-cherished demand for a ban on Jamaat, he said.
Besides, while delivering verdicts in war crimes cases, the International Crimes Tribunal observed that 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

Nasiruddin Yousuff
The cultural activist and freedom fighter expressed satisfaction over the verdict but said the question lies whether the party will still be allowed to do politics. If so, the government will have to move to ban Jamaat.
Jamaat had committed war crimes and its constitution is in conflict with the country's charter, Nasiruddin said. “So the party has no right to 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

MA Hasan
The verdict reflected aspirations of the people, said freedom fighter and war crimes researcher MA Hasan.
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

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.