Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami Signals Willingness to Join Unity Government After February Election

Post by : Saif Nasser

Bangladesh is heading into a major political turning point as the country prepares for its parliamentary election on February 12. One of the biggest developments ahead of the vote is the return of Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party that was once banned from elections and kept out of power for many years. Now, the party says it is open to joining a unity government after the polls.

In an interview with Reuters, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman said his party has already held talks with several political groups. He stressed that Bangladesh needs stability for at least the next five years and that cooperation among parties could help achieve that goal. According to Rahman, if parties can agree on common issues, they should work together to run the government.

Opinion polls suggest Jamaat-e-Islami could finish second in the election, just behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This is the first time in nearly 17 years that Jamaat is taking part in a national vote, marking its return to mainstream politics in the Muslim-majority nation of about 175 million people.

Jamaat previously shared power with the BNP between 2001 and 2006 as a junior coalition partner. Rahman said the party is open to working with the BNP again. However, he made it clear that any unity government must have a strong and shared focus on fighting corruption, which he described as a key demand of the public.

Rahman also said the prime minister would come from the party that wins the most seats. If Jamaat were to emerge on top, the party would then decide who its candidate for prime minister would be, including whether Rahman himself would take that role.

The party’s comeback follows dramatic political changes in Bangladesh. Long-time Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was removed from power in August 2024 after a youth-led uprising. Her Awami League party is now barred from contesting the election. Hasina had been a strong opponent of Jamaat and oversaw trials that led to death sentences for several of its leaders over alleged war crimes linked to the 1971 independence war.

Jamaat had been banned from elections since 2013 after a court ruled its charter went against Bangladesh’s secular constitution. That ban was lifted in August 2024 by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, allowing the party to return to politics.

Foreign relations are also part of Jamaat’s message. Rahman said Bangladesh must maintain balanced ties with all countries, including India and Pakistan. He confirmed meeting an Indian diplomat earlier this year and said relationships should be open and transparent. He added that Jamaat does not want to lean toward any single country but instead seeks respectful and balanced relations with all nations.

Rahman also said that any government involving Jamaat would be uncomfortable working with current President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who was elected with support from the Awami League. The president has already indicated he may be willing to step down before the end of his term.

As Bangladesh approaches the February vote, Jamaat-e-Islami’s renewed role highlights how much the country’s political landscape has changed. Whether the party joins a unity government or remains in opposition, its return is likely to shape the direction of Bangladesh’s politics in the years ahead.