With Islamist parties, including Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB), moving to forge an “electoral consensus”, the BNP is working to bring Hefazat-e-Islam and smaller Islamist groups closer to it ahead of the next parliamentary election.
BNP leaders say though they are engaged in discussions with different Islamist groups, the chances of a formal alliance remain slim.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. The rise of Islamist forces since the August 5 uprising has prompted BNP policymakers to keep a close watch on shifting political dynamics. And as part of its strategy, the party has reached out to Hefazat’s ameer and other influential clerics, while also extending attention to smaller Islamist outfits.
The party plans courtesy meetings between its leaders and religious figures nationwide, including prominent clerics, heads of major religious institutions, and spiritual leaders of Khanqah Sharifs.
Party sources said BNP’s top policymakers and central leaders with regional clout will strive to secure support from madrasa teachers, students, and religious figures, while preventing them from aligning exclusively with rivals.
At present, Islami Andolon is spearheading efforts to form an electoral understanding with four other Islamist parties — Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Khelafat Majlis, Nezame Islam Party, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam skipped a liaison committee meeting last Thursday. Two more groups — Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, led by Habibullah Miazi, and Bangladesh Islami Oikya Jote, led by Abdul Kader and Sakhawat Hossain — are also in talks, according to insiders.
These parties, however, say disagreements over leadership of the potential bloc remain a key hurdle.
Meanwhile, Jamaat and IAB have begun coordinating to nominate joint candidates across all constituencies, seeking to position themselves as a credible alternative to the BNP in the electoral race.
According to BNP insiders, the party leadership remain sceptical that Jamaat and Islami Oikya Jote can forge a sustainable alliance. However, they acknowledge that if Islamist parties manage to consolidate votes into a single bloc, they could pose a formidable challenge to the BNP in the upcoming polls.
The party’s outreach to Islamist groups and Qawmi madrasa-based clerical networks is designed to manage that risk, they said. A senior BNP standing committee member has been given special responsibility for overseeing these contacts, with another member, Salahuddin Ahmed, recently added to the team.
At the same time, the BNP is wary of international perceptions, knowing that the Awami League and its allies may exploit the rise of Islamist forces to portray Bangladesh negatively abroad. With memories of its controversial past alliance with Jamaat still fresh, BNP is treading cautiously, seeking to expand its base without being branded as aligned with Islamists.
BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed told The Daily Star, “We always respect the religious sentiments of Muslims, who make up 90 percent of the population. In this context, we uphold Islamic values.”
He added, “Alongside democratic forces, we maintain communications with Islamic forces and Islamic scholars like our late President Ziaur Rahman did. But that does not necessarily mean we are moving to form an alliance with Islamist parties.”
However, he kept open the possibility of forging an electoral alliance with the parties, including Islamist forces, who took part in the anti-fascist movement.
“It is not true that we are in talks with Islamist parties just to counter Jamaat or Islami Andolon. That is their election strategy. We are following our own,” he said.
IAB spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman told the Daily Star that a new political reality has emerged since the July mass uprising, with people expecting a fresh force to take power beyond those who have already ruled.
“People see the Islamist groups as that new political force and expect them to contest the next polls together. To meet this expectation, we are working to build an electoral alliance,” he said.
Ataur said the BNP is considering their initiative as a threat.
“We see this as BNP’s double standard. They say they are worried about the rise of right-wing forces, but at the same time, they are trying to bring Islamist groups under their umbrella.”
Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair said their efforts to forge an “electoral consensus” would take final shape after the election roadmap is announced.
Political analysts say the country’s political landscape has undergone a major shift following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. Jamaat-e-Islami has been able to conduct political programmes openly for the first time in more than a decade and a half.
In the absence of the AL, the BNP is seen as the dominant force. However, many smaller parties fear their relevance could diminish if the BNP returns to power.
Analysts say this fear, along with differing views on political reforms, is driving Islamist parties to explore the possibility of an electoral alliance.