Jamaat-e-Islami To Reenter Bangladesh Parliament As Opposition, Tracing Path From Ban To Comeback

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has emerged victorious in Bangladesh’s crucial general elections, securing over 151 seats in the 300-member parliament nearly 18 months after the fall of the Awami League regime in August 2024. While BNP claimed the majority, Jamaat-e-Islami staged a remarkable comeback, winning more than 30 seats and returning several senior leaders to Parliament.

Jamaat-e-Islami Reinvents Its Opposition Role

Once banned under the Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami has re-emerged as a significant political force. Party chief Shafiqur Rahman emphasised that Jamaat would not participate in opposition politics simply for confrontation, but instead pursue “positive politics.” Between 2001 and 2006, Jamaat had been a crucial BNP ally, with two of its leaders serving as ministers, as per The Week.

Following Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus lifted the party ban, allowing Jamaat to contest elections. Reports indicate that Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, played a role in the mass mobilizations that led to Hasina’s removal. The party has since rebranded, focusing on anti-corruption, governance reform, and appealing to younger, educated voters — a strategy that helped it regain parliamentary presence.

Independent Strategy And Electoral Gains

Despite the comeback, Jamaat’s influence remained limited, securing only 63–70 seats compared to BNP’s projected 181. Unlike previous elections, the party contested independently, forming alliances with 11 smaller parties such as the National Citizen Party and the Liberal Democratic Party, instead of partnering with BNP.

This approach signals Jamaat’s intent to establish an autonomous political identity.

Implications For India

For India, Jamaat’s restrained performance is strategically significant. Historically seen as pro-Pakistan and hostile to New Delhi, Jamaat’s predecessor, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, opposed Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, with paramilitary wings Al Badr and Al-Shams implicated in wartime atrocities alongside Pakistani forces.

A dominant Jamaat could have heightened regional radicalization and posed security threats along India’s eastern border. During the BNP-Jamaat coalition of 2001–2006, Indian intelligence accused Dhaka of sheltering insurgent groups and facilitating the 2004 Chittagong arms haul, as per Business Standard. India also backed the International Crimes Tribunal, which executed several Jamaat leaders — a move viewed by the party as Indian interference.

Jamaat’s limited success ensures that BNP remains the dominant force in Dhaka, providing India a more stable, if cautious, partner while averting the risk of Bangladesh tilting toward a Pakistan-China-Turkey axis.