BNP and Jamaat’s beckoning leave Islamist parties in limbo
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is trying to forge an alliance with Islamist parties ahead of the next general election after its longstanding relations with BNP became strained. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is also maneuvering to bring these Islamist parties under its fold in the electoral race.
Several sources said efforts by BNP and Jamaat have left these Islamist parties in a limbo. These parties are now pondering over which road will be more suitable for them in the election. However, all initiatives of these political parties are in the initial stage.
BNP is trying to keep the Islamist parties on its side during the election and if necessary reach an electoral understanding, relinquishing some seats. Meanwhile, Jamaat and Islami Andolan Bangladesh of Charmonai Pir are planning to bring the votes of Islamists to a ‘single ballot box’, by forging an alliance. These two parties have started separate drives to this the end. BNP has already held separate meetings with Islami Andolon Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish.
It is reported that BNP is likely to have meetings with other Islamist parties soon.
A senior source in BNP said that the party has decided to hold a meeting with Islamist parties that were not even so active in the previous simultaneous anti-fascist movement. A senior member of the standing committee has been entrusted with this responsibility.
On the other hand, Jamaat, although not so openly, is trying to build political alliances with various parties internally centering the election. There is discussion among Islamists that the Islami Andolon Bangladesh is involved in this unity effort of Jamaat.
Immediately after the political changeover in the student-mass uprising on 5 August last year, the Amir (chief) of Jamaat exchanged greetings with the leaders of various Islamist parties and organisations in several phases.
After that, the party also held separate exchanges of views with various Islamic speakers, scholars-ulamas and pir-mashayekhs. It is said that Jamaat started this initiative after deciding on its next political goal. Jamaat amir's visit to Charmonai pir, putting aside their longstanding feud, is the part of this initiative.
Amir of Bangaldesh Khelafat Majlish Maulana Mamunul Haque told Prothom Alo, “So far as I can understand, it is uncertain whether BNP will forge an alliance. BNP will try to reach a compromise with Islamists by offering top leaders of the party some seats in the election, but that is unlikely to placate them.
Meanwhile, Jamaat and Islami Andolon are now in close touch, burying their hatchet. The prospect of the initiative they took about taking the votes of Islamists in a ‘single box’ (greater unity) has become brighter. I don’t think it is impossible if all Islamist parties become united.”
Jamaat is the main religion-based political party in the country followed by Islami Andolon. These two parties have come closer centering the election. Recently Jamaat amir Shafiqur Rahman visited the house of Islami Andolon’s chief Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim in Barishal.
This thawing of relations is reflected later in remarks of leaders of both parties and identical stance on next general election and reform. Later, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also went to the central office of the Islami Andolon in Purana Paltan and met the party's Amir.
They agreed on 10 points, including 'anti-fascist forces should not attack each other verbally'. In fact, these two incidents revealed the activities of BNP and Jamaat ahead of the elections.
BNP had a long-standing political alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. The two parties were in alliance together in the movement, elections and government; but after the fall of the Awami League in the July-August mass uprising, BNP and Jamaat distanced themselves from each other.
People concerned say that the main reason for this is the upcoming national elections. This time, Jamaat wants to form an electoral alliance with other Islamist parties.
It has been learnt that BNP is also eyeing a consensus with Islamist parties sans Jamaat. Many Islamist parties are in a dilemma due to the maneuvering of both BNP and Jamaat.
In this situation, Islamist parties are holding meetings with each other alongside BNP and Jamaat. Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) held a dialogue with Khelafat Majlish. Earlier Islami Andolon and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish held a meeting.
Leaders of both parties said they discussed a greater alliance of Islamists in the next election. They also reached consensus on working from their own stance to forge a united platform of Islamist and patriotic parties.
AB Party chairman Mojibur Rahman Manju told Prothom Alo that discussions were held on whether a grand alliance can be formed in the elections, whether any role can be played in bridging the gap that has emerged between the main political parties over reforms and elections.
On the other hand, there are various discussions among Islamist parties amidst the separate activities of Jamaat and BNP. Some believe that some parties are trying to create a position in election-centric politics by these separate activities.
It is also said that since there is a gap between Jamaat and BNP, the Islamist parties might get some seats in compromise if they support BNP in the next elections. For this reason, there is a possibility that some parties will support BNP.
Except Islami Andolon, Islamist parties such as Jamaat, Khelafat Majlish and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish were components of the BNP alliance in the past. They left the alliance in different circumstances at different times.
About this, Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s senior joint secretary general Gazi Ataur Rahman told Prothom Alo, “Why did they (Islamist parties) leave the BNP alliance? There must have been a hostile situation. Again, they should not have left if BNP were sincere. Islamist parties should learn from the past. The truth is that no party ever became stronger by forging alliance with BNP or Awami League; rather becoming weaker. We think that now Islamist parties should unite for their own interests.”
There are various debates going on among the major political parties regarding the timing of the upcoming national elections. In the meantime, BNP and Jamaat, as well as Islamist political parties, are also exchanging views with each other.
Jamaat-e-Islami amir Shafiqur Rahman does not think that this has created any kind of tension in the Islamist parties. In an interview given to Prothom Alo on 13 February, he said, "I do not think this is creating any tension as I think everyone (Islamist parties) is intelligent enough, mature. Everyone will see everything and make a decision after thinking about it."
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member and one of the top figures of Liaison Committee, Nazrul Islam Khan said BNP is going forward with the idea of a national government if it gets the responsibility of running the country.
“BNP’s notion of democracy is very lucid. Democracy means freedom of expression for all. From that belief I think those who like Islam have the right to do Islamic politics under democratic dispensation. In the past, there were no political alliances in the movement to restore democracy. Many were involved with simultaneous movement. We told them that we will take them along with us in running the state,” Nazrul Islam Khan said.