Why Sheikh Hasina had banned Jamaat-e-Islami and what Yunus gains with its return

Why Sheikh Hasina had banned Jamaat-e-Islami and what Yunus gains with its return

The return of Jamaat-e-Islami to Bangladesh’s political arena under interim PM Muhammad Yunus marks a seismic shift, reversing Sheikh Hasina’s hardline ban. Once condemned for opposing the 1971 liberation and aiding Pakistani atrocities, the Islamist party’s revival signals a controversial realignment ahead of upcoming elections.

Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami leader A.T.M. Azharul Islam (C) gestures after he was released from prison in Dhaka on May 28, 2025.