In the weeks leading up to Bangladesh’s general election on February 12, few parties projected confidence as assertively as the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Before the polls, political observers in Dhaka spoke openly of what could be its strongest electoral performance since independence. The party itself signalled that it was prepared not merely to participate, but to compete for central power.
Yet as the Tarique Rahman-led BNP declared victory and foreign governments issued congratulatory messages, Jamaat struck a markedly different tone. On Friday, a day after voting, the party said it had “serious questions about the integrity of the results process”.
“We are not satisfied with the process surrounding the election results,” Jamaat said in a statement, adding that official results had yet to be released and urging “everyone to remain patient”.
The immediate political momentum, however, appeared to belong to the BNP. The BNP claimed a decisive win in the first election since the deadly 2024 uprising that reshaped the country’s political order. Its leader, Tarique Rahman, is poised to become prime minister.
Even before final tallies were announced, the United States embassy in Dhaka congratulated Rahman and the BNP for what it described as an “historic victory”.
For Jamaat, the result represented a sharp reversal of expectations.
Early Advantage That Dissipated
In the immediate aftermath of the July 2024 student-led uprising that toppled the Awami League government, Jamaat was widely regarded as having organisational momentum. The party had been a key force in the street protests that culminated in the ouster of the Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina.
With the Awami League banned from contesting, and its leadership out of power, the political field narrowed significantly. For the first time in years, Jamaat was no longer operating from the margins.
There was also a tactical opening. Tarique Rahman’s entry into the electoral race came relatively late. For a period, Jamaat benefited from that delay, consolidating support in constituencies where BNP’s campaign infrastructure had not yet fully mobilised.
But that early advantage proved temporary. As the campaign intensified, several voter blocs that Jamaat had hoped to attract moved decisively elsewhere.
Young Bangladeshis, many of whom had driven the July uprising, voted in significant numbers for the BNP rather than Jamaat. Women voters did not shift toward Jamaat in the numbers its leadership had anticipated. Minority communities, including Hindus, also rallied behind the BNP.
Crucially, Awami League voters who chose to participate in the election did not migrate to Jamaat. Instead, they moved to the BNP.
The United States Factor
Jamaat’s campaign unfolded against the backdrop of reports by The Washington Post that American diplomats were seeking to step up engagement with the party. The newspaper cited audio recordings it had obtained, suggesting a quiet outreach effort. It also reported that an American diplomat had downplayed concerns that Jamaat would seek to impose its interpretation of Islamic law.
The report altered the tone of the campaign.
Senior BNP leader and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged during an election roadshow in Thakurgaon that Jamaat had reached a secret understanding with the United States. He warned that any such arrangement could pose risks to Bangladesh’s peace, stability and sovereignty.
Jamaat did not confirm any formal deal but continued diplomatic engagements. The party framed meetings with foreign envoys as routine discussions ahead of the Thirteenth National Parliamentary Election.
In a statement following a meeting with Western diplomats, Jamaat said discussions were held in a “very cordial and friendly atmosphere”, covering the conduct of a “free, fair, and acceptable” election and issues of mutual interest. Both sides, it said, expressed hope that the election would strengthen democracy and democratic institutions in Bangladesh, and that trade, commerce and cooperation would become more dynamic.
The French ambassador to Dhaka, Jean-Marc Sere-Charlet, accompanied by Deputy Ambassador Frederic Inza and Economic Adviser Julien Dure, also met Jamaat’s leader, Shafiqur Rahman, at the party’s central office. Jamaat described the meeting in similar terms, noting discussions on the upcoming election and mutual cooperation.
Rebranding A Hardline Past
Founded in 1941 by Islamic scholar Syed Abul Ala Maududi, Jamaat-e-Islami opposed Bangladesh’s independence during the 1971 Liberation War and sided with West Pakistan. Its leaders were involved in forming paramilitary groups such as Razakar, Al-Badr and Al-Shams, which were accused of killing thousands of civilians, raping hundreds of thousands of women and targeting the Hindu community.
After independence, the party was banned in 1972 for misusing religion for political purposes. The ban was lifted in 1979. Jamaat later entered coalitions with the BNP and held ministerial positions.
Under Sheikh Hasina’s government from 2009 to 2024, Jamaat leaders faced prosecution before the International Crimes Tribunal. Senior figures including Motiur Rahman Nizami and Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed were executed. In 2013, the Bangladesh High Court cancelled Jamaat’s registration, citing conflict with the constitution.
Its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, remained active during this period, clashing with rivals and influencing madrassas. Jamaat spent 15 years politically isolated.
Following the July 2024 uprising, that isolation ended. Jamaat reorganised, re-entered formal politics and began presenting itself as “pro-Uprising” and “anti-fascist”. It promoted minority rights, fielded its first Hindu candidate, and moderated public references to Sharia law.
In campaign speeches, Shafiqur Rahman said: “Together – women and men – we will build the Bangladesh of tomorrow.”
He warned that violence against women would not be tolerated and pledged that once justice was established, corruption, extortion, terrorism, murder, rape and bank robbery would not continue. He called for a “justice-based, discrimination-free Bangladesh” and urged voters to back the candidates of the 10-party alliance led by Jamaat.
He also sought to contrast Jamaat with the BNP, arguing that if the 10-party alliance were elected, “the victory will not belong to any family or party, but rather, the victory will belong to the people.”
Jamaat’s advocacy of Sharia-based laws, its past opposition to women’s rights reforms, allegations of political violence linked to its student wing, concerns from minorities over previous attacks, and accusations of financial misconduct among leaders continued to shape public perceptions.