Assistant Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and its Head of the Central Publicity and Media Department Advocate Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair welcomed today’s (20 November) landmark and historic verdict of the Bangladesh Supreme Court restoring the caretaker government system. He said, “Through this verdict, the long-awaited expectation of the nation has been fulfilled, and the people will regain their rights to cast vote. This ruling is a significant milestone in the political history of Bangladesh.” He also remarked that after a lengthy hearing, the Supreme Court’s verdict has brought satisfaction and relief to everyone.

He made these comments at a press briefing held this noon at Jamaat-e-Islami’s central office. At that time, party’s Central Office Secretary Maulana AFM Abdus Sattar, Dhaka City South Jamaat Assistant Secretary Abdul Mannan, and Publicity Assistant Abdus Sattar Sumon were present.

Adv. Zubair expressed heartfelt congratulations and gratitude, on behalf of Jamaat-e-Islami, to all the lawyers involved in the case, the parties associated with it, and everyone who assisted the court. He said, “The nation will remember their role with respect.” He alleged that Sheikh Hasina had plunged the country into a dark era by abolishing the caretaker government system in 2011. Through today’s verdict, the nation has once again become free from that darkness.

Highlighting Jamaat’s history, he said that on 20 November 1983, at a massive public rally held at the north gate of Baitul Mukarram, then Acting Ameer late Abbas Ali Khan Rahimahullah first raised the demand for a national election under a caretaker government. In reality, the concept of this system was introduced by Jamaat’s former Ameer, Professor Ghulam Azam Rahimahullah. This demand later turned into a mass demand. After the fall of the Ershad led government in 1990, with the consensus of all parties, then Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was made Acting President and head of the caretaker government. Under his leadership, the 1991 election took place which has been recognised as free, fair, and neutral and widely accepted at home and abroad. Following prolonged movements, the caretaker system was included to the Constitution in 1996, and the elections of 1996 and 2001 held under this system were also conducted accordingly.

He further said that the 2008 election was controversial. After the abolition of the caretaker system, 153 individuals were declared MPs without contest in the 2014 election, which was a direct vote-less election. That election was completed through polling-center takeovers and ballot stuffing by Awami League terrorists. Similarly, in 2018 another farcical election was held, where ballots were stamped the night before and votes were looted. The January 7, 2024 election was also a sham voting drama known as the "Dummy” election—which was boycotted by all opposition parties.

Adv. Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said that in July–August 2024, the student community and the general masses launched a massive mass movement against the Sheikh Hasina government, resulting in its fall on 5 August. After the July Revolution, Jamaat-e-Islami filed a case in the Supreme Court demanding restoration of the caretaker system. Through today’s verdict, that demand has been fulfilled. According to the ruling, the 14th National Parliamentary Election will be held under a caretaker government, enabling the people to regain their voting rights. He expressed hope that this will bring new stability to the country’s political, economic, and democratic systems, and that the nation will move toward development and progress.

Finally, he concluded his remarks by expressing gratitude to the journalists present at the press briefing and answered various questions.