In the significant 2026 general election, the first since the 2024 “Gen Z uprising,” the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) faced a major setback. Early projections had suggested it might become the country’s new leading party, but a landslide victory for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, sidelined Jamaat.
On Friday, February 13, as the US and other world powers congratulated Rahman, a defiant Jamaat expressed serious concerns about the integrity of the results.
The early surge that collapsed
After Sheikh Hasina’s ouster, Jamaat was the best-organized force on the streets. With the Awami League banned and the BNP’s Tarique Rahman initially in exile, Jamaat faced little competition.
However, as the February 12 polls approached, the party’s momentum stalled. Data from the February 12–13 counts indicates that while Jamaat increased its seat count significantly compared to historical lows, securing around 63–70 seats, it was unable to close the gap with the BNP’s considerable 197-seat tally.
Voter rejection: The generation gap and minority shield
Jamaat’s attempt to rebrand itself as a moderate, “pro-uprising” party did not win over key groups:
The youth vote: Young Bangladeshis who drove the July uprising largely supported the BNP, viewing Jamaat’s hardline roots with suspicion.
The minority factor: Despite fielding its first Hindu candidate, Krishna Nandi in Khulna-1, Jamaat lost that seat to the BNP. Minority voters, including Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians, mostly supported the BNP for security.
The ‘refined’ vote: Former Awami League supporters who voted did not shift to the Islamist right; they moved to the center-right BNP.
The ‘US hand’ allegations
The campaign faced turbulence due to reports in The Washington Post claiming a “quiet outreach” between US diplomats and Jamaat. Alleged audio leaks suggested that Western officials were downplaying Jamaat’s Sharia-based agenda to create a more “pluralistic” post-Hasina landscape.
The BNP took advantage of these reports. Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir publicly warned that any “secret understanding” between Jamaat and foreign powers threatened national sovereignty. This narrative of “foreign interference” effectively attracted nationalist voters to the BNP.
Historical baggage: Rebranding vs. reality
Founded by Syed Abul Ala Maududi, Jamaat has struggled for decades with its role in the 1971 Liberation War. Although current leader Shafiqur Rahman promoted a vision of a “discrimination-free Bangladesh” and promised to protect women’s rights, the party could not escape its past.
Student wing violence: Reports of clashes involving Islami Chhatra Shibir and allegations of voter intimidation in Bogura and Saidpur undermined the party’s “moderate” messaging.
The ‘Saidpur’ cash scandal: Hours before polling, the arrest of a Jamaat leader with Taka 74 lakh in cash fueled BNP claims of “vote buying,” damaging Jamaat’s image as a “reformist” force.
The new order: Tarique Rahman’s landslide
With the BNP exceeding the 151-seat majority threshold, Tarique Rahman is set to be sworn in as Prime Minister. In his first victory address, Rahman requested “special prayers” instead of victory rallies, indicating a focus on stability.
For Jamaat, the 2026 result confirms its role as the main opposition but also highlights its failure to persuade a majority of Bangladeshis to support its Islamist vision for governance, despite a significant organizational effort.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
