Bangladesh's Supreme Court has overturned a conviction against a leader of the country's key political party, who had been on death row since being sentenced under the regime of ex-PM Sheikh Hasina.

ATM Azharul Islam, from the Jamaat-e-Islami party, who has been in custody since 2012, was acquitted on Tuesday of alleged crimes against humanity by the Supreme Court, which ordered his release.

Islam was among six senior political leaders convicted during the tenure of Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year-long rule as prime minister ended in August 2024 when a student-led revolt forced her to flee.

Islam's lawyer Shishir Monir said he was "fortunate" because the five other senior political leaders who had been convicted, four from Jamaat-e-Islami and another from the key Bangladesh National Party (BNP), had already been hanged.

"He got justice because he is alive,” Monir told reporters. "The appellate division failed to review the evidence in other cases for crimes against humanity.”

‘Genocide of justice’

Later speaking at a press conference following the acquittal, Jamaat chief Shafiqur Rahman said, “If anyone has been hurt by any of our behaviour or our performance, please forgive us. Despite being in grave danger ourselves, we tried to stand by the people in their time of need."

Rehman said that, during Sheikh Hasina's autocratic rule, senior leaders of the party were subjected to "judicial killing" through "rigged courts and false witnesses".

He said "safe homes" were set up to torture their party leaders and extract false testimonies.

He referred to the entire process of the judicial tribunal that prosecuted alleged war criminals during Hasina’s rule as a "genocide of justice", The Daily Star has reported.

Flawed and motivated

At least six of the top Jamaat leaders were hanged for alleged crimes in the 1971 liberation war during Hasina's tenure. The executions have been criticised by various rights groups as flawed and politically motivated.

Abdul Quader Molla was hanged in December 2013. Muhammad Kamaruzzaman, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid and Salauddin Quader Chowdhury were hanged in 2015. Motiur Rahman Nizami and Mir Quasem Ali were hanged in 2016

Jamaat was first banned in 1972 by the then Prime Minister, Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, and barred from contesting elections in 2013 by the regime of Hasina, who is Mujibur Rehman’s daughter.

Jamaat has been a key ally of the main opposition BNP since the 2001 national election.

In August 2024, fearing major protests, Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami, its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir and other associated organisations under anti-terror law.

Ten days later, after the Hasina regime was ousted, Jamaat opened up its office after more than a decade.

Jamaat-e-Islami was founded by Islamic scholar Abu Aala Maududi in 1941 in British India. Over time, after the partition of British India, the party established individual branches in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and India-administered Kashmir.

Political parties in Bangladesh, including Jamaat-e-Islami, are readying for hugely anticipated elections which the interim government has vowed will take place by June 2026.