Jamaat manoeuvring for ‘electoral alliance’ with other Islamists

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is planning to contest the next general election by forming an ‘electoral alliance’ with some other Islamist parties. Jamaat leaders have already held separate meetings with at least five religion-based political parties and alems (clerics).

Although in the initial stage, the Islamist party sources said it wants to forge an alliance with other religion-based parties considering that an alliance with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is unlikely.

Jamaat has returned to normal political activities after over 15 years as the Sheikh Hasina government was toppled in a student-people mass uprising on 5 August. Right now the party is busy with domestic activities across the country.

However, there have been many discussions about the party, which has suddenly come to the forefront of politics from a long-standing ‘hideout’ position.

Some remarks and activities of several top Jamaat leaders have created confusion among the BNP rank and file.  In the meantime, many political observers think that a distance is clearly visible between the leadership of BNP and Jamaat on the question of the term of the interim government and the elections.

Observing the recent activities of the two parties, they say that it is now clear that BNP wants election as quickly as possible after various institutional reforms while Jamaat is somewhat slow in this end. Jamaat is prioritising the necessary institutional reforms rather than holding early elections and Jamaat leaders are in opinion to give required time to the interim government.

This contrasting position of the two parties might shape the politics of the coming days and the election, analysts added.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on several occasions and in an interview with an English newspaper asserted that BNP no longer has any alliance with Jamaat. The party has been maintaining distance with Jamaat since the 20-party alliance broke away in December. Since then, BNP carried out simultaneous movements with the components of the 20-party alliance but did not have any open political camaraderie with the Jamaat-e-Islami.

But the connection somewhat restored between the two parties as BNP secretary general on 26 July called for forming ‘national unity’ to all political parties including Jamaat to press home ‘one-point demand’ of ousting Sheikh Hasina government. Jamaat issued a statement accepting BNP’s offer.

Several Jamaat leaders said they do not want to put any pressure on the interim government about the election right now. A senior leader of the party on condition of anonymity said the Jamaat’s executive body has decided in principle to give the incumbent government one year to carry out important institutional reforms.

Sources said Jamaat started holding meetings with political parties on 15 August. Notable among them are Charmonai Pir’s Islam Andolon Bangladesh, 12-party alliance, Zaker Party, Labour Party, Khilafat Majlis and Farayzi Andolon.

The Jamat leaders met secretary general of Khilafat Majlis Maulana Mamunul Haque, joint secretary general of Hefazat-e-Islam Azizul Haque Islamabadi, senior naib-e-amir of Bangladesh Nizam-e-Islam Party Abdul Majed Atahari, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon’s one faction’s amir Abu Zafar Qasemi, Jamia Madania’s principal Moniruzzaman Qasemi, Jono Seba Andolon’s amir Fakhrul Islam, and other madrasah teachers and alems.

Several leaders of these parties have stated that Jamaat showed interest to form an ‘electoral alliance’ of Islamists ahead of the next general election. The party has already established a rapport with these parties.

By broaching these dialogues, Jamaat has minimised its longstanding contention or differences with alems of Qawmi stream. As the party now wants an electoral alliance with other Islamists, it does not consider this a major problem even if it cannot forge any such alliance.

Jamaat leaders said whether there would be an alliance depends on Islami Andolon Bangladesh. Charmonai pir’s party is considered as the most important among the religion-based parties after Jamaat in terms of popular support.

IAB’s senior joint general secretary Gazi Ataur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Rather than forging a political alliance among the Islamist parties, we are focusing on forming an electoral alliance. An informal discussion is going on about it.”

He also mentioned that opinions would be sought from the party's rank and file about the possibility of an alliance as well.

“Electoral alliance without Jamaat-e-Islami won’t be strong. We would take opinions from our leaders of thana and district levels. We will respect the views of the grassroots,” he stressed.

People with knowledge think that it is not sure as to when the next general election will be held. Political situation might undergo many changes by this time. So, many question the longevity of the effort of political alliance among the Islamists.

IAB leader mufti Faizul Karim and Khelafat Majlish’s leader Maulana Mamunul Haque have already stated they don’t have any qualms to form an alliance. But before forging alliance, Jamaat will have to solve the issues of contention the alems have with many religious views of Jamaat’s founder Maulana Maududi.

Speaking about the issue, an assistant secretary general of Jamaat-e-Islami on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo that there is an expectation about the alliance of Islamists at the field level. But Jamaat thinks forming any political alliance among different parties is not an easy task.

Apart from Jamaat and IAB, there is an alliance of six parties named ‘Like-minded Islamic parties’. The components of this alliance are: Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (Mamunul Haque), Muslim League (Abul Khair), Khilafat Majlis (Ahmed Abdul Quader), Bangladesh Khilafat Movement and Islami Oikkya Andolon.

The latter party does not believe in election while Khelafat Andolon took part in the last general election under Sheikh Hasina going against the decision of alliance.

A leader of the alliance said four parties are now active in the alliance and they are trying to form an alliance of Islamist parties.

Jamaat-e-Islami came to the political scene after a long time after the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on 5 August.

Since then, the party’s top leaders took part in separate meetings with the army chief, the president and the chief adviser and came to the discussion. As a result, the order banning the party was withdrawn 23 days after the swearing in of the interim government. 

The party, which is now awaiting to get its registration with the election commission back, now looks to participate in the elections united with the Islamists.