Dhaka: The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC) today adjourned the hearing on a plea filed by the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami till January 21. The plea challenges a previous judgment by the High Court (HC) that declared the party’s registration illegal.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a four-member Appellate Division bench, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, made the decision after partially hearing the civil petition filed by the party. Barrister Ehsan A Siddiq and Advocate Mohammad Shishir Manir represented Jamaat in court for the second consecutive day.
The Appellate Division began its hearing on the plea on December 3, 2024. During the proceedings, Jamaat’s legal representatives argued that the writ initiating the cancellation of Jamaat’s registration was politically motivated.
The apex court had previously restored Jamaat-e-Islami’s appeal against the High Court’s verdict on October 22, 2024, allowing the party to participate in the hearing. This was in response to the 2013 judgment declaring its registration as a political party illegal.
The High Court’s decision, delivered on August 1, 2013, was made by a three-member bench comprising Justice M Moazzem Hossain, Justice M Enayetur Rahim, and Justice Kazi Reza-ul-Huq. The judgment concluded that the registration granted to Jamaat by the Election Commission (EC) was beyond lawful authority.