Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader has said the government is looking into the legal process of banning anti-independence party Jamaat-e-Islami and the party's student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, report agencies.
"The government will take swift action after it properly looks into the legal issue of banning Jamaat so that this evil force cannot get any chances in an independent Bangladesh," he said.
The minister of road transport and bridges made the statement at the start of a meeting at the Awami League's central offices on Bangabandhu Avenue in the capital on Tuesday.
There has long been a demand to ban Jamaat, a religion-based party, from Bangladeshi politics. The demand grew louder when the Awami League government took the initiative to prosecute war criminals in 2009. However, no effective action has been taken by the government in the 15 years since.
The ruling party has blamed BNP and Jamaat agitators for the recent violence surrounding the quota reform movement. On Monday, a decision was taken at a meeting of the 14 party alliance to ban Jamaat and Shibir.
"During the meeting of the 14 party alliance it was unanimously decided to ban Jamaat-Shibir from politics. Many people have been demanding it for a long time."
"The Jahanara Imam-led Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee and the Ganajagaran Mancha movement had demanded their banning too," he said.
The minister said, "According to the Representation of the People Order, no unregistered party can participate in elections. After the Second World War, Hitler's Nazi Party could not do politics in Germany. The International Crimes Tribunal has ruled that Jamaat is a party of war criminals."
Regarding the nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the recent violence, Quader said: "Today isn't exactly a day of state mourning. It is being held by the government, not nationally or by the state."
Meanwhile, AL General Secretary Obaidul Quader will exchange views with former student leaders today (Wednesday).
The views-exchange meeting will be held at 11:00 am today at Bangabandhu Avenue central office in the capital.
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