Bangladesh on Thursday banned the Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir under the anti-terrorism law after violent protests caused nationwide unrest, leaving more than 200 people dead.
The party was termed as a "militant and terrorist" organisation and said to pose threat to the public security.
The Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a notification on Thursday, confirming the ban on the Islamist party, which is also a key ally of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's party - Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The ban has been placed under Section 18(1) of the Anti-Terrorism Act of Bangladesh. Law Minister Anisul Haque told Prothom Alo, "These outfits cannot function as political parties after this order has been passed."
The decision to ban the Jamaat-e-Islami came following the deadly students' protests over quotas in government jobs. The Bangladeshi government accused the fundamentalist party of exploiting the movement that left several dozens of people dead.
Earlier this week, a meeting of the ruling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League-led 14-party alliance passed a resolution that Jamaat must be banned from politics.
Jamaat's ban comes over 50 years after its initial prohibition in 1972 for "misusing religion for political purposes".
The law minister had told reporters on Tuesday that the students, who had staged the anti-quota protests, said they had no connection to the violence. While there was evidence of the mayhem being carried out by the Jamaat, its student, BNP and militant party of its students front, Chhatra Dal.
Meanwhile, Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader had earlier said that the government would extensively examine legal aspects before placing the ban. This was to block any possibility of a legal loophole, which the "extremist group" could exploit to engage in the nation's political scenario.
Quader -- also serving as the Road Transport Minister -- had said that Jamaat and BNP used the students as "sheilds" during the protests while "the government is aware of the sources of their instructions, incitements, and funding," Hindustan Times reported.
For almost the entire month of July, violence had gripped Bangladesh, causing severe unrest across the nation. The army had to be called in by the government to deal with the protests that left over 200 dead and several thousands injured, including policemen.
Notably, the outfit has been accused of religious persecution in the recent years. Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal had sentenced JeI's leader Delwar Hossain Sayidee to death in 2013.
Over 50 temples across the nation were reportedly burnt by the outfit, while Hindus and minority groups were attacked.
