Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
Encyclopedia
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami , previously known as Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (a.k.a 'Jamaat'), is a far-right Islamist political party
in Bangladesh.
It joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
(BNP) in an alliance and a four-party coalition government during 2001-2006 and held two Ministries in Khaleda Zia's government, and it served as a member of the Four Party Alliance
.
Jamaat was an anti-liberation front who openly attempted to stop the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan, believing it would have existed better as a united Islamic state
; it had previously opposed the partition of India. Several of Jamaat-e-Islami's leadership have been implicated in war crimes surrounding the collaboration with Pakistan during the Bangladesh War of Independence.
The Islamic Party Jamaat-e-Islami
was founded in pre-partition India
by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in 1941. Maududi moved to Pakistan
from India after independence and the current party in Bangladesh
originated out of the East Pakistan
wing of the party. However, Jamaat had opposed the creation of a Pakistan as a separate state for the Muslims of India. While persisting in his anti-Pakistan ideology, Maududi wrote in one of his books, "If we have ever uttered a single word in the favor of creation of Pakistan, it must be proved with references." Therefore Jamaat-e-Islami also did not support the Muslim League, the largest Muslim party, in the core election of 1946.
, Jamaat-e-Islami was divided into separate Indian and Pakistani organizations. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami originates from the Jamaat wing in then-East Pakistan
. Jamaat strongly opposed an independent Bangladesh
, which it considered against Islam. Jammat-e-Islami willingly participated in Pakistan's political life during the Martial Law Period declared by General Ayub Khan. An all party democratic alliance (DAC) was formed in 1965. Ghulam Azam was one of the members of that alliance that counted Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as reluctant members.
One of Jamaat's top leaders Ali Ahsan Al-Mujahidi made the following statement on “Daily Sangram” on October 15, 1971 vociferously declaring their allegiance to Pakistan and opposition to the Liberation War of Bangladesh:
"The youths of the Razakars and al-Badar forces and all other voluntary organizations have been working for the nation to protect it from the collaborators and agents of India. But, recently it was observed that a section of political leaders like ZA Bhutto, Kawsar Niazi, Mufti Mahmud and Asgar Khan have been making objectionable remarks about the patriots."
, which is what they believe should be used to govern both Bangladesh
and Pakistan
. It is also their belief that the Culture of Bengal
is heavily influenced by Hinduism
and therefore cannot coexist with Islamic law
.
These philosophies were the reason for which Al-Badr
(which mainly consisted of members and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami) took part in counter-independence activities Dhaka and throughout the country.
militia in Jamalpur District
on 22 April 1971. Current Jamaat leader Matiur Rahman Nizami
was the supreme commander of this militia. Ian editorial published on the Daily Sangram on November 14, 1971, Nizami stated that "আমাদের বিশ্বাস, সেদিন যুবকেরা আমাদের সশস্ত্র বাহিনীর পাশাপাশি দাঁড়িয়ে হিন্দু বাহিনীকে পর্যুদস্ত করে হিন্দুস্তানকে খতম করে সারা বিশ্বে ইসলামের বিজয় পতাকা উড্ডীন করবে।" (We believe that our young members will fight side by side with our army to defeat the Hindu forces, and destroy India, and raise the flag of Islam in the whole world").
In May, 1971, Jamaat leader Mawlana Yusuf created the Razakar militia in Khulna
. The first recruits included 96 Jamaat party members, who started training in an Ansar camp at Shahjahan Ali Road, Khulna.
, and its top leaders fled to West Pakistan
. Government of Bangladesh also withdrew the citizenship of Golam Azam
, the chief leader of Jamaat. Azam then moved to London, and other leaders moved to the Middle East
. Golam Azam
then initated an activity of 'Not Accept Bangladesh' (Bangaldesh Na Manjoor). . This activity lasted until 1979 till his return to Bangladesh. Under this, Golam Azam
wrote numerous letters to Middle east rich Arab states to not aid Bangladesh
in any way. In 1974 in Muslim Congress at Benghazi
, Libya
, Golam Azam
spoke strongly against an independent Bangladesh
and urged islamic world to boycott the country.
Founding father of Bangladesh
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
was assassinated in 1975 by a pro-Pakistani armed group and thus enabled army chief Major general Ziaur Rahman
(a former BAKSAL
member of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
) to seize power. With Rahman's coup, Jamaat again resumed political activities in Bangladesh. Rahman also allowed Azam to return to Bangladesh as the leader of Jamaat.
Jamaat members formed "Islamic Democratic League" or IDL after 1971 and continued until 1979. Maulana Abdur Rahim was chief of IDL. At 1979, when Jamaat were permitted to start political activities again, Maulana Abdur Rahim refused to integrate into new Jamaat and he and his followers continued the IDL.
After the end of military rule
in 1990, mass protests began against Azam and Jamaat under war criminal charges headed by Jahanara Imam
, an author who lost her two sons and husband in the liberation war. Azam's citizenship was challenged in supreme court as he was holding a Pakistani passport. Due to lack of any credible evidence of why he would not be a citizen of Bangaldesh, Bangladesh's supreme court had to allow Azam to have a Bangladeshi passport and continue his political activities. Imam died a few years later of cancer. Recent years have seen a revival in the interest of prosecuting war criminals, many of whom are members of Jamaat-e-Islami, including almost all of its top leaders. This has been a point of serious concern for the party.
Bangladesh police arrested Jamaat-e-Islami chief and former Industry Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami
from his residence in the capital in a graft case on 19 May 2008. Earlier, two former Cabinet Ministers of the immediate past BNP-led alliance government, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Shamsul Islam were sent to Dhaka Central Jail after they surrendered before the court.
The Jamaat-e-Islami party has slowly been losing the confidence of the Bangladeshi public, mainly due to radical ideals as well as its harboring of sympathies towards Pakistan along with the application of the sharia law in the country. It maintains its stance against the creation of Bangladesh with only a little less vigour than before. In the parliamentary elections of December 2008, the Jamaat-e-Islami party was thwarted by the Grand Alliance, garnering less than 5 seats out of the total 300 that constitute for the national parliament. This has been a cause for concern to the Four-Party alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
, as the Jamaat-e-Islami is their primary political partner.
In a ruling by the Bangladesh Supreme Court in July 2010, the Court found that religious-based parties violated the tenets of secularism enshrined in the nation's founding Constitution,
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Bangladesh.
It joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Bangladesh Nationalist Party
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party , commonly referred to as the BNP, is the mainstream center-right political party in Bangladesh. BNP ruled Bangladesh total 18 years since her independence, the longest than any other party in Bangladesh...
(BNP) in an alliance and a four-party coalition government during 2001-2006 and held two Ministries in Khaleda Zia's government, and it served as a member of the Four Party Alliance
Four Party Alliance
The Four Party Alliance is a political grouping in the Jatiyo Sangshad, or National Assembly of Bangladesh. It was formed for the 2001 election, and consisted of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Jatiya Party , and Islami Oikya Jote...
.
Jamaat was an anti-liberation front who openly attempted to stop the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan, believing it would have existed better as a united Islamic state
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
; it had previously opposed the partition of India. Several of Jamaat-e-Islami's leadership have been implicated in war crimes surrounding the collaboration with Pakistan during the Bangladesh War of Independence.
British India (1941-1947)
see also Jamaat-e-IslamiJamaat-e-Islami
This article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...
The Islamic Party Jamaat-e-Islami
Jamaat-e-Islami
This article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...
was founded in pre-partition India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi in 1941. Maududi moved to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
from India after independence and the current party in Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
originated out of the East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
wing of the party. However, Jamaat had opposed the creation of a Pakistan as a separate state for the Muslims of India. While persisting in his anti-Pakistan ideology, Maududi wrote in one of his books, "If we have ever uttered a single word in the favor of creation of Pakistan, it must be proved with references." Therefore Jamaat-e-Islami also did not support the Muslim League, the largest Muslim party, in the core election of 1946.
Pakistan Period (1948 - 1971)
After the creation of PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Jamaat-e-Islami was divided into separate Indian and Pakistani organizations. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami originates from the Jamaat wing in then-East Pakistan
East Pakistan
East Pakistan was a provincial state of Pakistan established in 14 August 1947. The provincial state existed until its declaration of independence on 26 March 1971 as the independent nation of Bangladesh. Pakistan recognized the new nation on 16 December 1971. East Pakistan was created from Bengal...
. Jamaat strongly opposed an independent Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, which it considered against Islam. Jammat-e-Islami willingly participated in Pakistan's political life during the Martial Law Period declared by General Ayub Khan. An all party democratic alliance (DAC) was formed in 1965. Ghulam Azam was one of the members of that alliance that counted Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as reluctant members.
One of Jamaat's top leaders Ali Ahsan Al-Mujahidi made the following statement on “Daily Sangram” on October 15, 1971 vociferously declaring their allegiance to Pakistan and opposition to the Liberation War of Bangladesh:
"The youths of the Razakars and al-Badar forces and all other voluntary organizations have been working for the nation to protect it from the collaborators and agents of India. But, recently it was observed that a section of political leaders like ZA Bhutto, Kawsar Niazi, Mufti Mahmud and Asgar Khan have been making objectionable remarks about the patriots."
Jamaat opposition of Bangladesh Independence
The core principles of the Jamaat philosophy is that the separation of Bangladesh to form a secular, democratic country was against Islamic lawSharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
, which is what they believe should be used to govern both Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. It is also their belief that the Culture of Bengal
Culture of Bengal
The culture of Bengal encompasses cultures in the Bengal region, which today consists of the independent nation of Bangladesh , and the Indian federal republic's constitutive state of West Bengal. The two geographical entities share many cultural traits which root from their historical...
is heavily influenced by Hinduism
Hinduism
Hinduism is the predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian Subcontinent. Hinduism is known to its followers as , amongst many other expressions...
and therefore cannot coexist with Islamic law
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
.
These philosophies were the reason for which Al-Badr
Al-Badr (East Pakistan)
The Al-Badr was the paramilitary wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh that collaborated with the Pakistan Army against the Bengali nationalist movement in the Bangladesh Liberation War. The present chief of the Jamaat, Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami headed the Al-Badr organisation as the...
(which mainly consisted of members and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami) took part in counter-independence activities Dhaka and throughout the country.
Formation of paramilitary forces
Ashraf Hossain, a leader of Jamaat's student wing Islami Chhatra Sangha, created the Al-BadrAl-Badr (East Pakistan)
The Al-Badr was the paramilitary wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh that collaborated with the Pakistan Army against the Bengali nationalist movement in the Bangladesh Liberation War. The present chief of the Jamaat, Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami headed the Al-Badr organisation as the...
militia in Jamalpur District
Jamalpur District
Jamalpur is a district in Dhaka Division, Bangladesh. The main Jamalpur town consists of 12 wards and 80 mahallas. The municipality was established in 1869. The area of the town is 53.28 km². The town has a population of 116754; male 51.06%, female 48.94%. Density of population is 2191 per...
on 22 April 1971. Current Jamaat leader Matiur Rahman Nizami
Matiur Rahman Nizami
Motiur Rahman Nizami , is the current chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, which is the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh.-Jamaat and Al-Badr activist:...
was the supreme commander of this militia. Ian editorial published on the Daily Sangram on November 14, 1971, Nizami stated that "আমাদের বিশ্বাস, সেদিন যুবকেরা আমাদের সশস্ত্র বাহিনীর পাশাপাশি দাঁড়িয়ে হিন্দু বাহিনীকে পর্যুদস্ত করে হিন্দুস্তানকে খতম করে সারা বিশ্বে ইসলামের বিজয় পতাকা উড্ডীন করবে।" (We believe that our young members will fight side by side with our army to defeat the Hindu forces, and destroy India, and raise the flag of Islam in the whole world").
In May, 1971, Jamaat leader Mawlana Yusuf created the Razakar militia in Khulna
Khulna
Khulna is the third largest city in Bangladesh. It is located on the banks of the Rupsha and Bhairab rivers in Khulna District. It is the divisional headquarters of Khulna Division and a major industrial and commercial center. It has a seaport named Mongla on its outskirts, 38 km from Khulna...
. The first recruits included 96 Jamaat party members, who started training in an Ansar camp at Shahjahan Ali Road, Khulna.
Bangladesh Period (1978 - present)
Jamaat was banned after the independence of BangladeshBangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, and its top leaders fled to West Pakistan
West Pakistan
West Pakistan , common name West-Pakistan , in the period between its establishment on 22 November 1955 to disintegration on December 16, 1971. This period, during which, Pakistan was divided, ended when East-Pakistan was disintegrated and succeeded to become which is now what is known as Bangladesh...
. Government of Bangladesh also withdrew the citizenship of Golam Azam
Golam Azam
Ghulam Azam , is a Bangladeshi political leader who is regarded in his country as a war criminal of the Liberation War of Bangladesh...
, the chief leader of Jamaat. Azam then moved to London, and other leaders moved to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Golam Azam
Golam Azam
Ghulam Azam , is a Bangladeshi political leader who is regarded in his country as a war criminal of the Liberation War of Bangladesh...
then initated an activity of 'Not Accept Bangladesh' (Bangaldesh Na Manjoor). . This activity lasted until 1979 till his return to Bangladesh. Under this, Golam Azam
Golam Azam
Ghulam Azam , is a Bangladeshi political leader who is regarded in his country as a war criminal of the Liberation War of Bangladesh...
wrote numerous letters to Middle east rich Arab states to not aid Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in any way. In 1974 in Muslim Congress at Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, Golam Azam
Golam Azam
Ghulam Azam , is a Bangladeshi political leader who is regarded in his country as a war criminal of the Liberation War of Bangladesh...
spoke strongly against an independent Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
and urged islamic world to boycott the country.
Founding father of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
was assassinated in 1975 by a pro-Pakistani armed group and thus enabled army chief Major general Ziaur Rahman
Ziaur Rahman
President Ziaur Rahman, Bir Uttam, was a Bangladeshi politician and general, who read the declaration of Independence of Bangladesh on March 26, 1971 on behalf of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He later became the seventh President of Bangladesh from 1977 until 1981...
(a former BAKSAL
BAKSAL
The Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League was a political amalgmation of the Awami League with the Krishak Sramik Party that supported President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in governing Bangladesh...
member of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was a Bengali nationalist politician and the founder of Bangladesh. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its Prime Minister. He headed the Awami League, served as the first President of Bangladesh and later became its...
) to seize power. With Rahman's coup, Jamaat again resumed political activities in Bangladesh. Rahman also allowed Azam to return to Bangladesh as the leader of Jamaat.
Jamaat members formed "Islamic Democratic League" or IDL after 1971 and continued until 1979. Maulana Abdur Rahim was chief of IDL. At 1979, when Jamaat were permitted to start political activities again, Maulana Abdur Rahim refused to integrate into new Jamaat and he and his followers continued the IDL.
After the end of military rule
Military rule
Military rule may mean:* Militarism or militarist ideology - the ideology of government as best served when under military control* Military occupation, when a country or area is occupied after invasion.** List of military occupations...
in 1990, mass protests began against Azam and Jamaat under war criminal charges headed by Jahanara Imam
Jahanara Imam
Jahanara Imam was a Bangladeshi writer and political activist. She is most widely remembered for her efforts to bring those accused of committing war crimes in the Bangladesh Liberation War to trial...
, an author who lost her two sons and husband in the liberation war. Azam's citizenship was challenged in supreme court as he was holding a Pakistani passport. Due to lack of any credible evidence of why he would not be a citizen of Bangaldesh, Bangladesh's supreme court had to allow Azam to have a Bangladeshi passport and continue his political activities. Imam died a few years later of cancer. Recent years have seen a revival in the interest of prosecuting war criminals, many of whom are members of Jamaat-e-Islami, including almost all of its top leaders. This has been a point of serious concern for the party.
Bangladesh police arrested Jamaat-e-Islami chief and former Industry Minister Matiur Rahman Nizami
Matiur Rahman Nizami
Motiur Rahman Nizami , is the current chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, which is the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh.-Jamaat and Al-Badr activist:...
from his residence in the capital in a graft case on 19 May 2008. Earlier, two former Cabinet Ministers of the immediate past BNP-led alliance government, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and Shamsul Islam were sent to Dhaka Central Jail after they surrendered before the court.
The Jamaat-e-Islami party has slowly been losing the confidence of the Bangladeshi public, mainly due to radical ideals as well as its harboring of sympathies towards Pakistan along with the application of the sharia law in the country. It maintains its stance against the creation of Bangladesh with only a little less vigour than before. In the parliamentary elections of December 2008, the Jamaat-e-Islami party was thwarted by the Grand Alliance, garnering less than 5 seats out of the total 300 that constitute for the national parliament. This has been a cause for concern to the Four-Party alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party
Bangladesh Nationalist Party
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party , commonly referred to as the BNP, is the mainstream center-right political party in Bangladesh. BNP ruled Bangladesh total 18 years since her independence, the longest than any other party in Bangladesh...
, as the Jamaat-e-Islami is their primary political partner.
In a ruling by the Bangladesh Supreme Court in July 2010, the Court found that religious-based parties violated the tenets of secularism enshrined in the nation's founding Constitution,
The Jamaat in parliamentary elections
| 1973 Parliament Election | 1978 Parliament Election | 1986 Parliament Election | 1991 Parliament Election | 1996 Parliament Election | 2001 Parliament Election | 2008 Parliament Election |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party was banned because of its opposition of Bangladesh independence and collaborated with Pakistan army. | Party was allowed to start political activities. | Won 10 seats. | Won 18 seats. | Won 3 seats. | Won 18 seats. (took part by forming alliance with 3 other parties.) | Won 2 seats.(took part by forming alliance with 3 other parties.) |
See also
- Bangladesh Liberation WarBangladesh Liberation WarThe Bangladesh Liberation War was an armed conflict pitting East Pakistan and India against West Pakistan. The war resulted in the secession of East Pakistan, which became the independent nation of Bangladesh....
- Jamaat-e-IslamiJamaat-e-IslamiThis article is about Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. For other organizations of similar name see Jamaat-e-Islami The Jamaat-e-Islami , is a Pro-Muslim political party in Pakistan...
- Islami Chhatra Shibir
- List of political parties in Bangladesh
- Golam AzamGolam AzamGhulam Azam , is a Bangladeshi political leader who is regarded in his country as a war criminal of the Liberation War of Bangladesh...
- Delwar Hossain Sayidee