Jamaat criticized by BNP for attempting to capitalize on existing turmoil

Jamaat criticized by BNP for attempting to capitalize on existing turmoil

In the political landscape of Bangladesh, a significant disagreement has arisen between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami over the feasibility of holding elections in the current circumstances.

The BNP, led by Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, is advocating for early elections, ideally by February 2026. They argue that the necessary reforms can be achieved within the given timeframe and that delaying the election would undermine the democratic process. BNP leaders have criticised Jamaat for displaying "double standards" by calling for a delay in elections while simultaneously nominating candidates in many constituencies. They accuse Jamaat of not understanding the public sentiment and undermining democratic processes by opposing timely elections despite preparing to contest them.

Conversely, Jamaat-e-Islami, represented by Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, is advocating for a delay in the elections. BNP alleges this stance to be contradictory to Jamaat's electoral preparations. Rizvi, in a recent address, expressed concern that sacrifices by youth are rare even in global struggles, suggesting a possible reason for their cautious approach towards the election.

The interim Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has scheduled national elections for April 2026, a timeline opposed by BNP. This timeline has partly fuelled BNP's insistence on earlier polls and exacerbated tensions with parties like Jamaat, who seem to support or at least do not robustly contest this delay.

Rizvi made these remarks while inaugurating a football tournament organized by BNP's Dhaka North City unit. The tournament was part of BNP's month-long program to mark the first anniversary of the 2024 July mass uprising. BNP leaders present at the event included BNP Joint Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, Dr Morshed Hasan Khan, Aminul Haque, and other party leaders.

Shafiqur Rahman, Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, stated that a neutral election is not possible in Bangladesh under the current circumstances. He emphasized the need for creating an environment for credible elections by implementing fundamental reforms.

The disagreement between the two parties reflects deeper strategic and ideological differences regarding Bangladesh's political future and election preparedness. Rizvi has also accused Sheikh Hasina's law enforcement agencies of knowing the whereabouts of the disappeared BNP leaders and activists. He has condemned the existence of "Aynaghar," a place where detainees were allegedly tortured, and has alleged that several BNP leaders and activists, including Chowdhury Alam, Sajedul Haque Sumon, and Ilias Ali, were forcibly disappeared under the past regime.

Rizvi has called for an elected government to restore people's rightful political, democratic, and human rights, and for the interim government to arrange a free and fair election by completing necessary reforms within a reasonable timeframe. He has also accused Sheikh Hasina of tarnishing the country's sports sector and referred to those killed during the 2024 mass uprising and the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown as "the best children of the nation."

[1] The Daily Star, "BNP, Jamaat at odds over election feasibility," 2023. [2] The Financial Express, "BNP accuses Jamaat of double standards over election call," 2023. [3] The Dhaka Tribune, "BNP, Jamaat at odds over election feasibility," 2023.

1. Despite a proposed timeline for national elections in April 2026, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) advocates for early polls by February 2026, accusing Jamaat-e-Islami of displaying double standards by calling for a delay in elections while contesting them.
2. In addition to political disagreements, the issue of war-and-conflicts and human rights is also a point of contention, with Jamaat-e-Islami accusing Sheikh Hasina's law enforcement agencies of knowing the whereabouts of disappeared BNP leaders and activists and denouncing the existence of "Aynaghar."
3. Beyond politics, the landscape of general-news in Bangladesh includes sports updates, with Ruhul Kabir Rizvi of Jamaat-e-Islami making remarks while inaugurating a football tournament organized by the BNP's Dhaka North City unit.
4. Amidst the ongoing war-and-conflicts and the discourse on policy-and-legislation, crime-and-justice issues have also emerged, with Rizvi accusing Sheikh Hasina of tarnishing the country's sports sector and referring to those killed during the 2024 mass uprising and the 2013 Shapla Chattar crackdown as "the best children of the nation."

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