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Jamaat recognises Liberation War

Makes major changes in constitution for registration; allows non-Muslims to be members but puts onus of protecting independence only on them

SHAKHAWAT LITON and Rashidul Hasan
Finally, anti-liberation Jamaat-e-Islami has recognised the historic Liberation War of Bangladesh in its newly revised constitution, for the first time since the party resumed its activities in 1979.
The change of policy was forced upon it by its desperation to keep itself legitimised as a parliamentary party registered with the Election Commission (EC). in the face of new amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO).
The amended RPO says the
constitution of a political party seeking registration cannot contradict the country's constitution.
Jamaat's provisional constitution which was submitted to the EC for getting registered as a parliamentary party, also renamed the organisation Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, changing its earlier name Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.
Its also allows non-Muslims to be members of Jamaat, but puts the responsibility of protecting the country's independence and sovereignty by taking an oath only on them, while the Muslim members are exempted from taking that
oath.
"1 shall actively play a role in defending the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh," reads a section of the oath scheduled for non-Muslim members, whose inclusion was prompted by the party's latest necessity for removing religious and gender discriminations within the organisation.
According to Jamaat's interim constitution which will be ratified by a national council within six months of the first sitting of the next parliament, as promised by it, both Muslim and non-Muslim
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by a national council within six months of the first sitting of the next parliament, as promised by it, both Muslim and non-Muslim members however must swear to abide by the rules and decisions of the party, giving the highest priority to implementing the decisions.
Among other fundamental beliefs and spirits, Jamaat also accepted the spirit of the heroic liberation war of 1971 by inserting a new paragraph into the preamble of its new provisional constitution.
The heroic struggle of the people and freedom fighters that liberated Bangladesh and put it on the world map as an independent country has been mentioned as a part of the fundamental beliefs and spirits of the party.
Submitting the application for registration and the provisional constitution to the EC for being qualified to contest in the upcoming parliamentary election. Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, assistant secretary general of Jamaat. said his party has been in politics since May, 1979 by accepting the creation of Bangladesh through theliberation war.
Jamaat was constitutionally banned for years in the newly independent country for its antiliberation activities and collaboration with the invading army in 1971.
Many Jamaat leaders were facing charges of war crimes and some of them were on the run.
But the party was allowed to resume its activities in 1979 as the h constitutional ban on forming religion based political parties was repealed after the bloody regime change of August 15,1975.
Lately, Jamaat's survival was facing difficulties again as the revised RPO made political parties' registration with the EC mandatory for contesting in the parliamentary election.
The strict new provisions forced the party to change the preamble to its constitution accepting the historic liberation war as its original constitution contradicted the Constitution of Bangladesh.
Jamaat, traditionally an Islamist fundamentalist party, in its revised constitution replaced the phrase describing its goal of ’establishing the rule of Allah' with a new phrase of ’establishing a fair and just Islamic society'.
The party included a new section in its constitution's preamble that says, "Jamaat-e-lslami will work to establish an Islamic social system that guarantees justice for all, since Bangladesh emerged as the third largest Muslim country tiirough a heroic battle of the people and freedom figh ten.*
Accordingto its interim constitution, Jamaat also co-opted the
members of its women's majlish-e-sura into the central majlish-e-sura, the highest policy making body.
It also added provisions for reserving 33 percent seats for women in all its committees with a promise to achieve the target by 2020.
In line with the amended RPO, the new Jamaat constitution also promises to nominate parliamentary contenders from a panel created by the grassroots level committees and forwarded to the party's parliamentary board.
About severing its ties with front organisations, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Muhammad Kamaruzzaman who yesterday went to apply for the party's registration, said Jamaat has no front organisation.
Jamaat, a key component of BNP-led four-party alliance which ruled the country just before the current caretaker government, had earlier refused to get registered with the EC under the current RPO, and challenged its legality in the High Court terming some of the amendments unconstitutional.