Police arrested six female activists of Jamaat-e-Islami in a drive in Katnarpara of Bogra yesterday.

The arrestees are identified as Zobaida Begum, Ramena Begum, Kulsum Begum, Ruma Begum, Helena Begum and Khodeza Begum.

Tipped off, a team of police raided a house and arrested them while holding a clandestine meeting, said Kamruzzaman, sub-inspector of Sadar Police Station.

A case was filed in this connection.

Law Minister Anisul Huq yesterday told parliament that the government will settle the issue of trying Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party for its involvement in crimes against humanity, through a legal process.

In reply to a query from Awami League MP Waresat Hossain Belal, the minister also informed the House that the law ministry will take initiative again to send the amendment to International Crimes Tribunal law to the cabinet division, in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's direction so that it can be placed before the cabinet meeting.

In a scripted answer, Anisul said the law ministry had earlier sent the amendment to the ICT law to the cabinet division aimed at trying Jamaat-e-Islami as a political party for its involvement in crimes against humanity in the country's Liberation War in 1971.

In reply to another question, the law minister said his ministry has taken various measures including appointing 571 assistant judges in lower court since 2014, for quick disposal of the huge number of cases in different courts across the country.

In reply to a query of AL lawmaker Nizam Uddin Hazari, the minister said it is under the government's active consideration to set up Attorney Service in a bid to conduct cases by public persecutors.

3.36 LAKH POSTS VACANT AT GOVT OFFICES

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain yesterday informed parliament that the government has taken various steps to fulfill vacant posts of the government offices, as 3,36,746 posts are now vacant at public offices of the government.

 “Bangladesh Public Service Commission has recommended for 1,289 posts from different cadres through 37th BCS (Bangladesh Civil Service), aimed at appointing vacant posts,” he said this replying to a question made by AL MP M Shamsul Haque Tuku of Pabna-5.

The state minister said the government has requested agencies concerned to verify pre-service curriculum of the recommended candidates, adding, “After getting verification report of the pre-service information, freedom fighter certificate and health check-up, they will be given final appointment.”

In addition to this, the appointment process of 8,719 vacant posts of different ministries are now underway through the 38th , 39th and 40th BCS, he said.

Different politicians and analysts said Jamaat should apologise to the nation as advised by Abdur Razzaq who resigned from the party yesterday.

Welcoming Razzaq's resignation from Jamaat in protest of its reluctance to offer apology for its role in 1971, they also said the party should shun religion-based politics and amend its charter that says the party aims to establish the rule of Islam.

 “I think it's a positive move from Razzaq. He felt repentance for the party's anti-liberation role in 1971,” BNP standing committee member Lt Gen (retd) Mahbubur Rahman told The Daily Star. 

“If Jamaat formally apologise as a party, the people may forgive it,” he said, adding that the party's survival depended on the issue.

Besides, such a move would make it easier for the BNP to alley with Jamaat, he hoped.

Besides the issue of apologies, Razzaq, who was Jamaat's assistant secretary general, mentioned in his resignation letter that Jamaat's failure to reform its ideologies in light of the 21st century was another reason behind his decision.

The letter was addressed to the party's Ameer Maqbul Ahmad.

Several BNP leaders said they have been closely watching the situation and they would “wait and see” what position Jamaat takes.

Jamaat leaders had not informed them anything about the recent dissident voices in the party, they said.

A standing committee member of the BNP wishing not to be named said it was a good sign that some Jamaat leaders had started to realise that they must apologise.

“It is a logical step. But it took 47 years,” he said.

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon, also a leader in the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, said he welcomed Razzaq's decision.

“Jamaat has the right to do politics. But the party should not have that right until and unless it formally apologises,” said the chief of parliamentary standing committee on social welfare.

However, Communist Party Bangladesh President Mujahidul Islam Selim said an apology would not suffice. The party must shun politics in the name of religion and amend its charter.

“Jamaat's charter contradicts the spirit of Liberation War and the country's constitution,” he added.

M Hafizuddin Khan, former adviser to a caretaker government, said he had been urging Jamaat to apologise for a long time.

“Besides, the controversial Jamaat leaders involved in crimes against humanity should be removed from the party,” he said. 

He also urged Jamaat to amend its charter. 

Badiul Alam Majumder, secretary of Shushashoner Jonno Nagorik, echoed Hafizuddin.

The Election Commission has scrapped the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, a component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, making it clear that the party will not be able to contest the upcoming national election.

A gazette notification was published on Sunday in this regard as per the Representation of the People Order, 1972.

The notice, signed by EC Secretary Helaluddin Ahmed, said the decision was made following a High Court verdict that declared Jamaat's registration illegal.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, the EC secretary said they cancelled the registration after receiving the full text of the HC verdict.

Asked about Jamaat's appeal pending with the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, Helaluddin said they received an advocate certificate stating that the apex court didn't stay the HC order.

The HC in a landmark verdict on August 1, 2013, had declared illegal the Jamaat's registration with the EC. The commission the same year had suspended the registration.

Rezaul Haque Chandpuri, then secretary general of Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, along with 24 others had filed a writ petition with the HC on January 25, 2009, seeking its order declaring Jamaat's registration illegal.

The petitioners said Jamaat was a religion-based political party and it didn't believe in independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh.

In the verdict, two judges of the three-member HC bench declared the registration illegal. However, the other judge disagreed with the decision of his two colleagues.

Jamaat then filed the appeal with the apex court challenging the HC verdict.

A total of 38 political parties, including Jamaat, registered with the EC after the then military-backed caretaker government had introduced the registration system in 2008.

Jamaat had brought major changes to its constitution in phases to meet the registration requirements as no unregistered political party was allowed to contest elections.

For the first time, the Islamist party made a mention of democracy in its charter, although its ultimate aim was to establish Islamic rule in the country.

The party had secured the registration on November 24, 2008.

The writ petition said section 2(5) of Jamaat charter failed to recognise parliament or its legitimacy to enact laws for the republic which was a violation of article 65(1) of the country's constitution.

They added that Jamaat had offices abroad in violation of the country's constitution.

Controversial Islamist thinker Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi had founded Jamaat in undivided India under the British colonial rule in 1941.

The government of independent Bangladesh in its first decision had banned five communal outfits, including Jamaat, which not only opposed the nation's independence but also actively helped Pakistani occupation forces commit genocide and other war crimes.

The banned parties were given the green light to do politics during the rule of late president Ziaur Rahman after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

The international crimes tribunals in their judgments have described the Jamaat's role in 1971.

Some judgments also said Jamaat played a leading role in creating Pakistani occupation army's auxiliary forces like Al-Badr, Razakar, Al Shams and Peace Committee which actively took part in atrocities on Bangalees.