Bangladesh - Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Friday 24 & Tuesday 28 October 2014
Information on Jamaat-e-Islami including: general information; treatment by Awami League; party leaders between 2010 & 2014
The Jamaat-e-Islami party in an undated document states:
“Jamaat e Islami is not a conventional religious, political, social or cultural party only. Jamaat performs as a spiritual party as spiritual life is important in Islam. Jamaat performs in political arena because Islamic law can’t be implemented without political force. Jamaat concentrates upon social service and social reform as strong emphasis has been given on social service and social reform in Islam. In this sense, Jamaat- e- Islami is a complete Islamic movement” (Jamaat-e-Islami (Undated) About Us).
This document also notes:
“To be associated with Jamaat: Firstly fill up the form of associate member Regularly attend in weekly meeting for attaining Islamic knowledge and character Attentively read tafsir (explanation) of Quran and Hadith, Islamic literature and news papers. Practice according to what knowledge you have gained and take firm decision not to do anything against your conscience. Be the member of Jamaat to perform the duty of deen efficiently” (ibid).
A repot issued in 2014 by the Hindu American Foundation notes:
“Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Bangladesh is an offshoot of the Jamaat organization that was founded in undivided India in 1941 by Maulana Abul Ala Mauddudi. Jamaat drew its inspiration from the Deobandi school of Islam, known for promoting religious extremism in several countries in the region, and modeled itself after the Muslim Brotherhood.1 Separate branches were subsequently established in both Pakistan and Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), also known as Jamaat-e-Islami, following India’s partition. JeI Bangladesh and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), continue to primarily draw their members from Deobandi seminaries in the country” (Hindu American Foundation (2014) Bangladesh: Jamaat-e-Islami - A Nexus of Terror, p.1).
This document also states:
“In August 2013, a High Court imposed a partial ban on JeI (upon the petition of a Sufi Muslim group) declaring that the Islamist party’s charter violated the constitution. The ruling, however, only prohibits JeI from participating in national elections and has failed to limit its other activities” (ibid, p.2).
The Wall Street Journal in August 2013 notes that:
“The Jamaat, though small compared with the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has emerged as a kingmaker in recent elections” (Wall Street Journal (1 August 2013) Bangladesh Court Strikes Down Jamaat-e-Islami's Electoral Registration).
This document also points out that:
“Established in 1941 by Abul Ala Maududi, an Indian theologian, the Jamaat emerged as the main Islamist party in Pakistan after independence from British rule in 1947. The Jamaat was opposed to Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan in 1971, but it denies any role in the war crimes committed by pro-Pakistan militias. Party leaders say the Jamaat accepted independence after the war and has been part of the political process in the country since 1975. In 1996, the Jamaat forged an electoral understanding with the Awami League, helping it sweep to power. The Jamaat's 2001 alliance with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party was a key factor in the center-right party coming to power, according to political analysts. The Jamaat's influence waned in the last parliamentary polls in 2009, which saw the party's share of the popular vote decline to 4% from 12%. But it still has influence in rural areas and most experts see it as an important component of the opposition alliance led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. A war crimes tribunal looking into atrocities committed during the 1971 war this year found six Jamaat leaders guilty of crimes against humanity. Jamaat activists protesting the verdicts have engaged in violent clashes with police. About 100 people, mostly Jamaat supporters, have died in the clashes, according to police and human rights groups” (ibid).
In April 2014 a Human Rights Watch report states:
“…Jamaat-e-Islami, is the largest Islamist political party and an ally of the BNP” (Human Rights Watch (29 April 2014, Democracy in the Crossfire, Opposition Violence and Government Abuses in the 2014 Pre- and Post- Election Period in Bangladesh, p.10).
This report also points out that:
“The 2014 election also took place against a backdrop of violence related to the prosecution and sentencing of Jamaat leaders accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity during Bangladesh’s struggle for independence in 1971. Opposition supporters resorted to violence following the death sentence of Jamaat leader Hossain Sayedee on February 28, 2013” (ibid, p.11).
In July 2014 a paper published by Odhikar states:
“On April 9, 2014 a Jamaat activist Alamgir Hossain (30) was killed and 10 people were injured in a clash between supporters of Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami in Chor Dhulgagra village under Belkuchi Upazila in Sirajganj” (Odhikar (1 July 2014) Six-Months Human Rights Monitoring Report: January 1 – June 30, 2014).
A report published in September 2014 by Janes states:
“Forty Jamaat-e-Islami (Jel) activists were arrested in a police force raid operation in Kaliganj sub-district of Bangladesh's Jhenidah district on 26 September, the Daily Star reported” (Janes (30 September 2014) Police forces arrest 40 Jel activists in Bangladesh's Jhenidah).
A report published in September 2014 by Amnesty International notes that:
“…the motives for the enforced disappearances appear to have been political, with the targets being members of the opposition parties. At least eight of the 20 people mentioned above have been prominent members of the BNP or Jamaat-e-Islami” (Amnesty International (2 September 2014) Bangladesh: Stop enforced disappearances, torture and restrictions on freedom of expression, p.3).
BBC News in October 2013 states:
“The former leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami…Ghulam Azam, 90, was the party's leader until 2000…” (BBC News (1 October 2013) Bangladesh war crimes trial: Key accused).
In October 2014 the Asian Tribune states:
“Ghulam Azam was ameer (chief) of East Pakistan Jamaat-e-Islami during the Liberation War in 1971. He also became ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat in 1991. He left the party’s top post in 2000 through handing over charge of the party to war crimes accused Motiur Rahman Nizami” (Asian Tribune (24 October 2014) Bangladesh War criminal Ghulam Azam dies in Prison).
In January 2014 BBC News notes the:
“…head of Bangladesh's main Islamist party, Motiur Rahman Nizami…Jamaat-e- Islami president…” (BBC News (30 January 2014) Bangladesh Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami to hang).
In June 2014 Al Jazeera notes that:
“Bangladesh's war crimes court has postponed a verdict on the leader of the country's largest Islamist party for alleged crimes committed during the 1971 independence struggle, according to local media. Motiur Rahman Nizami, 71, faces 16 charges including mass killings, rape, arson and genocide, relating to violence committed by a militia” (Al Jazeera (24 June 2014) Bangladesh defers verdict on Jamaat leader).
This document also states that:
“Nizami…[is] the president of Jamaat-e-Islami…” (ibid.
BDNews24 in October 2014 notes the:
“Jamaat-e-Islami chief Motiur Rahman Nizami…” (BDNews24 (28 October 2014) The 16 charges against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami).
No further information on any of these issues could be found among sources available to the RDC.
References
Al Jazeera (24 June 2014) Bangladesh defers verdict on Jamaat leader http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2014/06/bangladesh-defers-verdict-jamaat- leader-201462462725784475.html Accessed Friday 24 October 2014
Amnesty International (2 September 2014) Bangladesh: Stop enforced disappearances, torture and restrictions on freedom of expression http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA13/006/2014/en Accessed Friday 24 October 2014
Asian Tribune (24 October 2014) Bangladesh War criminal Ghulam Azam dies in Prison http://www.asiantribune.com/node/85711 Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
BBC News (30 January 2014) Bangladesh Islamist leader Motiur Rahman Nizami to hang http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25962798# Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
BBC News (1 October 2013) Bangladesh war crimes trial: Key accused http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-20970123 Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
BDNews24 (28 October 2014) The 16 charges against Jamaat-e-Islami chief Nizami http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2014/10/28/the-16-charges-against-jamaat-e- islami-chief-nizami Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Hindu American Foundation (2014) Bangladesh: Jamaat-e-Islami - A Nexus of Terror http://hafsite.org/about/where_we_stand Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Human Rights Watch (29 April 2014, Democracy in the Crossfire, Opposition Violence and Government Abuses in the 2014 Pre- and Post- Election Period in Bangladesh http://www.hrw.org/reports/2014/04/29/democracy-crossfire Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Jamaat-e-Islami (undated) About us http://www.jamaat-e-islami.org/en/aboutus.php Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Janes (30 September 2014) Police forces arrest 40 Jel activists in Bangladesh's Jhenidah http://www.lexisnexis.com/uk/legal/results/docview/docview.do?docLinkInd=true&risb =21_T20825202065&format=GNBFULL&sort=BOOLEAN&startDocNo=101&results UrlKey=29_T20825202075&cisb=22_T20825202073&treeMax=true&treeWidth=0&c si=411136&docNo=124 This is a subscription database Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Odhikar (1 July 2014) Six-Months Human Rights Monitoring Report: January 1 – June 30, 2014 http://www.ein.org.uk/members/country-report/six-months-human-rights-monitoring- report-january-1-june-30-2014 This is a subscription database Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
Wall Street Journal (1 August 2013) Bangladesh Court Strikes Down Jamaat-e- Islami's Electoral Registration http://online.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424127887323681904578641530401992180 Accessed Tuesday 28 October 2014
This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Refugee Documentation Centre within time constraints. This response is not and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please read in full all documents referred to.
Sources Consulted
Amnesty International BBC News Electronic Immigration Network European Country of Origin Information Network Freedom House Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre International Crisis Group IRIN News Lexis Nexis Minority Rights Group International Online Newspapers Refugee Documentation Centre E-Library Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database Reliefweb Reuters United Kingdom Home Office United States Department of State UNHCR Refworld ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� �����������������������������������������������������