In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, party chief Shafiqur Rahman said Jamaat-e-Islami has already held talks with several political parties and is open to forming an alliance with the party that wins the most seats.
He stressed that the country needs a stable government with a long horizon, ideally one that can govern smoothly for at least five years.
‘If political parties can reach common ground, a joint government is possible,’ Rahman said, underlining the need for consensus over confrontation.
Public opinion surveys suggest that Jamaat e Islami could emerge as the second-largest party, behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), in the upcoming vote. If this happens, it would mark the party’s return to national elections after nearly 17 years, a development seen by many as its re-entry into mainstream politics.
Jamaat-e-Islami previously served as a coalition partner in the BNP-led government from 2001 to 2006, and Rahman said the party is once again willing to work with BNP. He added that fighting corruption should be the shared foundation of any future alliance.
Rahman made it clear that the prime minister will come from the party that secures the highest number of seats in the February 12 elections. If Jamaat-e-Islami itself wins a majority, the party will decide its candidate internally.
The party’s political revival followed the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina after a student-led movement in August 2024. Her party, the Awami League, has since been barred from contesting the elections. During Hasina’s rule, several Jamaat leaders were sentenced in cases linked to the 1971 war of independence.
Jamaat-e-Islami was banned in 2013, but an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus lifted all restrictions on the party in August 2024.
On foreign relations, Rahman said Jamaat e Islami favors balanced ties with all countries, without leaning toward any single power. He described Sheikh Hasina’s presence in India as a source of strain in Bangladesh India relations.
He also revealed that he met an Indian diplomat earlier this year, though the meeting was kept discreet at the diplomat’s request. ‘Only transparent relations can lead the region toward improvement,’ Rahman said.
Reuters also reported that Jamaat e Islami has hinted it may find it difficult to work with President Mohammed Shahabuddin if it becomes part of the government. The president has previously said he is open to resigning before completing his term, though he declined to comment further on the matter.
As Bangladesh heads toward a decisive election, Jamaat e Islami’s statements reflect a calculated return, careful messaging, and a clear bid to shape the country’s next political chapter.
