NEW DELHI,11 Feb 2026: A day before the crucial election in Bangladesh on Thursday to elect a new government and transition to a democratically elected government, a key Jamaat candidate in these elections. Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the Dhaka-14 constituency, is fighting a high-profile election.
Since August 2024, Bangladesh has been governed by an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, as the previous government led by Sheikh Hasina was ousted in the violent protests in July 2024.
Since then the focus has been on who will govern Bangladesh after elections are held, and the two contenders are the frontrunner, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), and the Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami, a hardline Islamist party that is also trying to woo voters from all sections of society.
A Jamaat-e-Islami candidate in the Dhaka-14 constituency, is fighting a high-profile election. A victim of forced disappearances in Bangladesh, he is taking on the BNP’s Sanjida Islam, known as Tuli, who is the coordinator of Mothers’ Call, a group formed by families of enforced disappearance victims. Arman says, “We do not want fascism again. I was a victim of an enforced disappearance. I hope the referendum will see a ‘Yes’ victory.”
Arman also is one of the big faces of the Jamaat and is advocating working together with India. He said “India and Bangladesh are indispensable for each other, and we have to work together.”
This comment is being interpreted as an indication that the Jamaat is willing to explore working together with India despite its history and pro-Pakistan positions earlier. Isolation from India has not helped Bangladesh in recent months and continues to be a challenge for the government as Bangladesh shares almost all of its land boundary with India.
While the BNP is the frontrunner according to most Bangladesh watchers, the Jamaat has made inroads in areas where it was weak, and it has done so since the overturn of its ban. It is now aiming for a majority. Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman says, “Just one year ago, my party was written off as marginal, predicted to win only a handful of seats. Today, Jamaat stands on the brink of a majority. This is the people’s will. When the people unite, nothing can stop them.”
Picture credit social media
