Jamaat-e-Islami, currently led by Shafiqur Rahman, revived itself during the 2024 student uprising after nearly 15 years of marginalization.
Bangladesh is just a week away from its most critical elections, the first since the August 2024 student uprising and the dramatic fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government. The country is preparing to vote in its 300-seat assembly to elect its next government and leader.
Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting against BNP as part of an 11-party alliance led by Jatiya Nagrik Party, NCP and JI leaders. (AFP/Reuters)Counting of votes is scheduled for Thursday, February 12, the same day of polling
Ahead of the general elections, the political landscape of Bangladesh changed further when former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia died on December 30, 2025. His death prompted the return of his son Tariq Rahman to Dhaka after 18 years of self-imposed exile in London.
BNP is in the fray in the 2026 elections along with other important parties including Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (JMI), Jatiya Nagrik Party (NCP), Jatiya Party (National Democratic Front (NDF) led by Ershad), Nizam-e-Islam Party.
Among them, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is an important political player in the country and in the upcoming general elections.
What is JMI?Jamaat-e-Islami was founded in India in 1941 by the Hyderabad-born Islamic philosopher and scholar Abdul A’ala Maududi. He formed the JEI as an Islamic organisation, which later transformed into a socio-political organisation.
Currently, Jamaat-e-Islami is the largest Islamic political party in Bangladesh. Since its establishment in the Indian subcontinent, the Jamaat has grown from an inter-regional Islamic organization to a major political force in Bangladesh.
Jamaat-e-Islami played a controversial role during the 1971 Liberation War. According to ORF Online, in order to preserve the idea of a united Muslim community, the Jamaat supported the Pakistan Army in its fight against the Bangladeshi freedom fighters.
Also Read | BNP’s Tariq Rahman, Jamaat leaders are 1,700 contesting in Bangladesh elections as main candidates.
However, the nationalist movement led by Sheikh Hasina’s father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, did not give up. Bangladesh finally gained independence on December 16, 1971. Many Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who supported the Pakistani army and survived the war fled to Pakistan.
Shortly after independence, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman became the first Prime Minister of Bangladesh in January 1972. He banned Jamaat-e-Islami the same year as part of his push to crack down on extremist religious groups.
Rahman and most of his family were killed in a military coup in August 1975. A series of military takeovers followed. Amidst this turmoil, Major General Ziaur Rahman became the President of Bangladesh in 1977. He restored Jamaat-e-Islami through the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution, which removed provisions on secularism and socialism and paved the way for religious-based political parties.
In the following decades, the Jamaat emerged as a major political force, supported by Ziaur Rahman and later his wife, Khaleda Zia of the BNP.
Khaleda Zia became Prime Minister for the first time in 1991 and it was during her tenure that a prominent JI leader, Ghulam Azad, regained his citizenship.
Also Read | Worried about India? US seeks ‘friendship’ with Bangladesh’s once-banned Jamaat-e-Islami, report says
In 2001, Jamaat-e-Islami formally joined the BNP-led coalition. However, after seven years, when the Awami League under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina returned to power, the influence of the Jamaat decreased. Sheikh Hasina established the International Criminal Tribunal in 2009 and amended the 1973 Act.
Despite protests against the tribunal’s proceedings, several Jamaat leaders were tried and executed, including Abdul Quader Mollah, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujahid, Matiur Rahman Nizami and Mir Kasem Ali.
For about 15 years the party’s political power weakened significantly.
In 2024, the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami was lifted following a student uprising and the ousting of Sheikh Hasina. The interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus lifted all sanctions on the party in August 2024, allowing it to contest the 2026 elections.
Since the lifting of the ban, the party, currently led by Shafiqur Rahman, has reorganized itself and emerged as a major contender in the 2026 general elections.
National Citizen Party, NCP and JI Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting against the BNP as part of an 11-party alliance led by the leaders.
The NCP is led by student leaders Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah.
Jamaat-e-Islami is led by Chief Shafiqur Rahman, Deputy Chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Secretary General Mir Ghulam Parwar.
Also Read | The student-led National Citizen Party of Bangladesh split into an alliance with the Jamaat ahead of the national elections.
Other parties in the 11-party alliance include Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Khilafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khilafat Movement, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Development Party, Jatiya Gontantric Party, NDP, Liberal Democratic Party, LDP, AB Party and Bangladesh Labor Party.
Why is JMI a key player?Jamaat-e-Islami is one of the most influential political entities in Bangladesh, known for its disciplined organization and committed support base despite crackdowns over the years.
The fall of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina prompted the Jamaat to quickly form an alliance with the BNP.
“In the last 55 years, Bangladesh has been ruled mainly by two parties, the Awami League and the BNP. People have long experience with both and many feel frustrated. They want a new political force to rule,” Jamaat deputy chief Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher told Al Jazeera.
According to a recent poll jointly conducted by Projection BD, International Institute of Law and Diplomacy, IILD, Jagoron Foundation and Narrative, a close contest between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami is predicted in the upcoming national elections.
Polls cited by Prothom Alo English showed that 34.7% of voters want to vote for BNP, while 33.6% favor Jamaat. The NCP is reported to have 7.1% voter support, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh has 3.1%
Taher also told Al Jazeera that the party has about 20 million supporters, including about 250,000 registered members known as “ruqn”, including women.
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The party has not only gained popularity among voters but also tried to allay fears about an Islamist-led government.
“When we come to power, we will adopt and implement the agreed reforms. Where new laws are needed, for example, to ensure good governance and eradicate corruption, we will examine them at that time,” Taher said.
He added that constitutional reforms would form the basis of governance rather than ideological enforcement.
Jamaat Amir Shafiqur Rahman also said in January that his party was ready to join the unity government.
Rahman said Jamaat-e-Islami is trying to expand its base beyond conservative constituencies and any unity government should have a joint anti-corruption agenda, according to Reuters.
Amid concerns about violence against Hindus in Bangladesh, the Jamaat has sought to expand its appeal beyond its Muslim base. For the first time in history, the party has fielded a Hindu candidate for Khulna-1 seat.
The Daily Star reported that Jamaat-e-Islami’s Dumuria Upazila Hindu Committee president Krishna Nandi is contesting from the Khulna seat.
According to a geopolitical analyst quoted by Al Jazeera, many Bangladeshi voters are now more religious than ever.
Asif Bin Ali, a geopolitical analyst and doctoral fellow at Georgia State University in the US, said, “A large segment of Bangladeshi society is moving towards a more Islamist direction, but that is not the same as being ready to hand over the state to a conservative Islamist leadership.
Recent polls show that BNP has a narrow lead over Jamaat. Regardless, the Jamaat appears on track to surpass its previous best performance in 1991, when it won 18 seats with about 12% of the vote, according to the International Crisis Group, as cited by ANI.
An International Crisis Group report also said that Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman has emerged as one of the strongest political performers in Bangladesh and described the party’s social media campaign as “unrivalled”.
Manifesto of Jamaat-e-IslamiIn its election manifesto, Jamaat-e-Islami pledged to maintain ‘constructive and cooperative’ relations with neighboring countries, including India.
“Constructive relations with neighboring and nearby countries, peaceful, friendly and cooperative, shall be established on the basis of mutual respect and fairness with India, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Thailand,” said the manifesto, published on February 4, according to ANI.
It also said that the team will work to enhance Bangladesh’s global standing and passport strength.
“Strengthening relations with countries in the Muslim world will be a major foreign policy priority,” the manifesto added.
The party also said it would actively engage with the United Nations and other international organizations and reiterate its commitment to participate in regional groups such as SAARC and ASEAN. expressed
Asmita Ravishankar is a Content Producer at Hindustan Times, based in New Delhi. He covers breaking news and focuses on crime, geopolitics and the domestic political landscape. He has an eye for the complexities of criminal investigations and a keen interest in diplomacy and how complexities affect politics in India and globally. He has written extensively on Operation Sindur, Iran-US conflict, Indian elections, Trump’s tariffs and diplomacy. Asmita engages in multimedia storytelling, using interactive elements to enhance readers’ news experience and build a high-traffic news ecosystem. With three years of experience in the journalism industry, Asmita has been with HT for over a year. He has previously worked with the online news team at Outlook India and Network 18, covering a wide range of beats and building his specialization. At HT, he has been recognized for his comprehensive reporting, and for his contribution to coverage of Bihar Assembly election results, single-handedly driving over 2 million users that day. Asmita holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, University of Delhi. He earned a post-graduate diploma in integrated journalism from the Asian College of Journalism, enriching his reporting by sharpening his skills in multimedia storytelling, editing and sourcing. Additionally, Asmita holds a degree in Bharatanatyam from Prachin Kala Kendra. He is also a teacher of Indian classical dance forms. When not working in news, Asmita is seen dancing, watching true crime docu-series, cooking and exploring different genres of music.Read more
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