In a historic shift in the country’s political landscape, Jamaat-e-Islami has emerged as the main opposition in Parliament for the first time following the 13th parliamentary election. The Jamaat-led 11-party alliance secured a total of 77 seats, with Jamaat alone winning 68 of them.
While the party’s high command appears generally satisfied with becoming the primary opposition given the current political reality, there is a sense of underachievement among grassroots activists who had expected even better results.
Allegations of result manipulation Following a meeting of the 11-party alliance on Friday night, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said that while the party had no major complaints regarding the actual voting process, the final results were “snatched” in several locations.
He urged the Election Commission to resolve these discrepancies before the official gazette is published, warning that the party would take “tough programmes” if no remedy is provided. He also condemned attacks on party activists in various areas.
Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, the party’s assistant secretary general and media cell chief, further alleged that they possess evidence of result manipulation in several constituencies and claimed that certain media outlets engaged in negative propaganda against the party.
Golam Rasul, the newly elected MP for Jashore-4 and district ameer, admitted to organisational limitations, noting that the party failed to protect polling centers in some areas where local officials allegedly manipulated the results.
Factors behind electoral performance
Analysts suggest that the July 2024 mass uprising and the subsequent fall of the Awami League government created a favourable political environment for Jamaat to strengthen its field-level presence.
The party also benefited from a split in Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) votes, caused by approximately 90 rebel candidates contesting in 75 seats.
Strategically, the party expanded its reach by launching a non-Muslim wing and increasing the involvement of women and youth, while success in recent student union elections at major universities boosted party confidence.
Geographically, the party performed particularly well in the Khulna, Rangpur, and Rajshahi divisions.
Controversies and historical context
Despite the electoral gains, the party faced several setbacks during the campaign, including the hacking of Ameer Shafiqur Rahman’s X (formerly Twitter) account, which was used to spread derogatory comments about working women, and controversial remarks by a leader from the Barguna uni.
Additionally, an altercation between Dhaka-17 candidate Khaliduzzaman and army personnel at a checkpoint drew significant criticism. The party also continues to face the long-standing political challenge of its controversial role during the 1971 Liberation War.
This election marks a major leap for Jamaat compared to its past performances, such as in 1991 when it won 18 seats with 12.13% of the vote, and 2008 when it secured only 2 seats with 4.79 percent.
In this election, Jamaat contested 216 seats under its “Scale” (Daripalla) symbol, and while 11 parties were part of the alliance, candidates from nine parties actually participated in the polls.
