Bangladesh govt lifts ban on Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party

Shaheed Minar, one of the most celebrated memorials in Bangladesh to commemorate the Bengali language movement of 1952. Pic/AFP

Bangladesh's interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has lifted a ban on the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party that was imposed by the former prime minister who was ousted in nationwide protests against her.

Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India on August 5, had banned the party as a "militant and terrorist" organisation and blamed its student wing and other associate bodies for inciting chaos over a quota system for government jobs. The weeks of violent protests and Hasina's crackdown left more than 600 people dead, according to UN estimates. The Ministry of Home Affairs repealed the ban on Wednesday, paving the way for the party to resume its activities. It still needs to register with the Election Commission to contest polls.

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Journalist's body recovered from lake

The body of Bangladesh TV journalist was recovered from the Hatirjheel lake in capital Dhaka on Wednesday, local media reported. The body of the deceased journalist, identified as Sarah Rahanuma, 32, a newsroom editor at the media house Gazi TV was found floating on Hatirjheel Lake, as per Dhaka Tribune. Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's US-based son, Sajeeb Wazed termed the journalist's death as "another brutal attack" on the freedom of expression.

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