Bangladesh bans BNP ally Jamaat under anti-terrorism law

Dhaka, August 1
Bangladesh today banned the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir under anti-terrorism law following nationwide unrest over the quota system for government jobs, accusing the fundamentalist party of instigating protests that left at least 150 people dead.
A notification issued by the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the ban on the Islamist party, a key ally of former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The ban on Jamaat, Chhatra Shibir and other associated groups came through an executive order under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
“They (Jamaat-Shibir and BNP) just used the students as their shield,” PM Sheikh Hasina said on Thursday when Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro called on her at her here.
A government spokesman said the government today banned all political activities of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its various wings. — PTI

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