Jamaat-e-Islami and its like-minded allies are finalising a unified list of candidates for the upcoming national election, aiming to secure the maximum number of parliamentary seats by pooling their organisational strength. The alliance is prioritising unity over individual gains in its candidate selection.
Although the coalition consists of eight parties, Jamaat and Islami Andolan Bangladesh are considered the key players capable of influencing the electoral field. News of their coordination has already made an impact at the grassroots level, which could be reflected in the final election results.
The other members of the coalition are: Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis (led by Mamunul Haque), Khelafat Majlis (led by Ahmad Abdul Qader), Nizam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa), and Bangladesh Development Party.
Leaders of the alliance said while most parties have already announced their initial nominees, only one candidate will be finalised per constituency before the official election schedule is declared. The emphasis, they added, is not on how many seats each party receives, but on ensuring that all Islamic parties’ votes go “into one ballot box.”
Jamaat’s Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad said, “We will finalise a combined list of candidates, prioritising popular figures from our allied parties. In line with our promise of change, we are giving more importance to young candidates. If we find strong candidates, non-Muslims may also be nominated.”
“We are still focusing on the movement, including the implementation of the July Charter. Seat allocation discussions have not yet taken place,” he told TIMES of Bangladesh.
However, party insiders said initial discussions suggest that Jamaat may get around 150 seats, Islami Andolon 80 seats, and the remaining 40 seats could go to popular figures from the other six parties, including those led by Mamunul Haque and Ahmad Abdul Qader.
To add a “surprise element,” the Islamic bloc plans to nominate 10 individuals who are decorated freedom fighters, non-Muslims, or from special minority communities.
If an understanding is reached, the alliance may also accommodate up to 20 candidates from National Citizen Party (NCP) that led the July movement, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), six parties of the Ganatantra Mancha, and senior leaders of Gono Odhikar Parishad. Final decisions will depend on their political stance and activities in the coming weeks.
The 13th parliamentary election is expected to be held by mid-February, meaning the election schedule must be declared by December. Despite differing views on the July Charter and other demands, parties have begun their election preparations. The discussion around candidate lists resurfaced after the BNP announced its preliminary list of 237 nominees on Monday.
On Tuesday, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman, upon returning from his US visit, told journalists at the airport, “A final list of candidates, combining several parties, will be published in due time.”
Jamaat had, however, published a preliminary list of 300 candidates nearly six months ago, with most of them being new faces—many from professional backgrounds such as Supreme Court lawyers, university and college teachers, businessmen, and retired government officials. The party strategically selected candidates with established social standing.
An analysis of Jamaat’s preliminary list shows that 78% of the candidates are new, with a significant number being young aspirants.
Islami Andolan Bangladesh has already declared candidates in all constituencies and is actively campaigning. The party, too, has given priority to professionals alongside its political leaders.
Islami Andolan’s Senior Joint Secretary General Gazi Ataur Rahman told TIMES, “We are not focused on how many seats each party will get. Our goal is to ensure that all Islamic votes go into one box. We are ready to make maximum compromises to achieve that.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, and several other parties have also published their preliminary candidate lists.
Although the alliance formally includes eight parties, Jamaat and Islami Andolan are the only ones running strong nationwide campaigns. While other parties have nominated candidates, their public support is not significant enough to influence the vote. As a result, popular nominees from Jamaat and Islami Andolon are expected to dominate the final list. Both parties also plan to break from traditional nomination patterns this time.
At a programme in Khulna on 3 October, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar said they may leave up to 100 seats for allied groups. “This time, we will even nominate Hindu candidates,” he added.
For the past two months, these eight parties have jointly been waging a movement to implement the July Charter and their five-point demands, including a mass rally scheduled for Thursday. The joint movement and the news of an electoral alliance have already stirred optimism at the grassroots level.
Golam Rasul, Jamaat Ameer of Jashore district and a preliminary nominee for Jashore-4, said, “The news of a united Islamic alliance has generated a positive spirit among leaders of all involved parties. Once the central decision is finalised, everyone is ready to throw their weight behind a single candidate.”
