Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Thursday hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate the election-time caretaker government system, describing the ruling as a “historic milestone” that reopens the path to free and fair elections.

The party issued its reaction at an emergency press conference at Jamaat’s central office at Moghbazar in the capital shortly after the Appellate Division upheld the constitutionality of 13th amendment and restored the caretaker system.

The verdict was delivered by a seven-member bench headed by Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed.

Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair said the earlier judgment that abolished the caretaker arrangement was “controversial and politically motivated.”
“The abolition of the caretaker system enabled Sheikh Hasina to establish an authoritarian rule,” he said.
Zubair also noted that Jamaat’s former Ameer, Prof Ghulam Azam, had first laid the theoretical foundation for the caretaker model.
“His farsighted proposal has ultimately prevailed. Elections conducted without a caretaker government remain tainted chapters of our history. This verdict puts democracy back on its rightful track,” he added.

He said the party expects the interim government to act responsibly in ensuring a free, participatory and neutral national election.
“If there is any attempt to stage another engineered election, Jamaat; together with the people, will resist it,” he warned.

Calling the ruling “the beginning of a new era for neutral elections,” Zubair said citizens had long awaited the system’s return.
“This decision will strengthen democracy and protect the people’s voting rights,” he said.
Central leaders, activists and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami attended the press conference.