Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has reinstated the political registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country’s largest Islamist party, allowing it to participate in upcoming national elections after more than a decade-long prohibition.

The court reversed the earlier decision that had cancelled Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration, instructing the Election Commission to proceed with the necessary legal formalities for the party’s re-entry into the political arena. Towhidul Islam, representing the Election Commission, confirmed the ruling.

Shishir Monir, a legal representative for Jamaat-e-Islami, welcomed the verdict and stated that the decision paves the way for a more democratic and inclusive political landscape in Bangladesh—a Muslim-majority nation of over 170 million people. He expressed optimism that citizens from diverse backgrounds would support the party’s return, fostering vibrant political discourse.

Jamaat-e-Islami had challenged its political ban following the ousting of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August, appealing the 2013 court order that had barred the party from participating in elections.

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This latest ruling follows the Supreme Court’s earlier decision on May 27 to overturn the death sentence of senior Jamaat leader A.T.M. Azharul Islam, who had been convicted of war crimes during the 1971 war of independence.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s past alliance with Pakistan during the independence war remains a contentious issue in Bangladesh. The party has long stood as a political adversary to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation’s founding father and father of Sheikh Hasina.

During Hasina’s administration, the party was banned, and several of its top leaders faced legal action and imprisonment amid an aggressive crackdown.