Bangladesh’s Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami, which was previously banned, has said it is open to joining a unity government and has already held talks with several political parties ahead of elections expected in February.
Opinion polls show Jamaat-e-Islami could emerge as the second-largest party after the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). This will be the party’s first election in nearly 17 years. Jamaat last shared power between 2001 and 2006 as a coalition partner of the BNP.
The party’s return follows the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024 after a youth-led uprising. Her Awami League party has been barred from the upcoming election. During Hasina’s rule, Jamaat leaders faced trials over alleged war crimes linked to the 1971 independence war.
Jamaat had been banned from elections since 2013, but the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus lifted restrictions on the party in August 2024.
Party chief Shafiqur Rahman said relations with India are a concern, especially after Hasina fled to India. He confirmed meeting an Indian diplomat earlier this year and stressed the need for balanced and open relations with all countries, including Pakistan.
Rahman also said that if Jamaat joins the government, it would not be comfortable working with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, who has indicated he may step down early.
