In a notable surprise in the 13th parliamentary elections, the Bangladesh Islami Front has shown unexpected strength in Chattogram, particularly in constituencies that earlier saw a good number of voters supporting Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
Contesting under the candle symbol, the party fielded candidates in seven of the district’s 16 constituencies.
While it did not secure a victory, the Islami Front finished second in three constituencies. In a notable display of growing support, the Islami Front secured second place in three constituencies. Ilyas Nuri came second in Chattogram-6 (Raozan) with 27,146 votes, Syed Air Mohammad Peyaru finished runner-up in Chattogram-12 (Patiya) with 28,999 votes, and SM Shahjahan claimed second place in Chattogram-13 (Anwara) after receiving 51,450 votes.
The party also performed well in three other constituencies, finishing third. Maulana Syed Solaiman garnered 22,992 votes in Chattogram-14 (Chandanaish), Syed Mohammad Hasan (Hasan Azhari) received 42,585 votes in Chattogram-8 (Boalkhali-Chandgaon), and Mohammad Iqbal Hasan secured 30,239 votes in Chattogram-7 (Rangunia).
Results for Chattogram-4 (Sitakunda) remain pending.
SUM Abdus Samad, general secretary of the party’s Chattogram metropolitan branch, acknowledged the challenge posed by “cash and muscle power” in the election but expressed confidence in securing victories in future polls.
Analysts say the party’s performance reflects the impact of its grassroots mobilisation through religious processions and community programmes.
Md Safikul Islam, political science professor at Chattogram University, attributed the party’s success to the region’s cultural reverence for Sufism and an emerging shift in voter attitudes following the July uprising. “This combination of religious respect and ideological change has created favourable conditions for the Islami Front,” he noted.
The results indicate that competition within Chattogram’s Islamist politics is intensifying, with the Islami Front emerging as a significant contender to Jamaat in several constituencies.
