Bangladesh Politics: Signs of Differences Between BNP And JeI

Are there differences between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the Jamaat-e-Islami which were once allies opposing the Sheikh Hasina government? Experts speak to ETV Bharat.

New Delhi: Remarks made by a senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader signal differences arising between his party and the Islamist political outfit Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in the evolving political landscape in India’s eastern neighbour following the ouster of the Awami League government headed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year.

Speaking at a discussion organised by the Diploma Engineers Association of Bangladesh (DEAB) at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Tuesday, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi claimed that all educational institutes in Bangladesh have been influenced by the Jamaat’s ideology, according to a report in the Dhaka Tribune.

Rizvi also alleged that individuals with Jamaat-minded ideologies have been appointed to key positions in major universities while the ministries of health and education “have been overtaken by a special group”.

Why Rizvi’s comments assume significance is because the BNP and the JeI have historically been allies in Bangladesh’s political landscape. The relationship between the BNP and the JeI has been a defining aspect of Bangladesh’s political landscape. This alliance, often controversial, has influenced electoral politics, governance, and the country’s ideological direction.

The BNP, a centre-right nationalist party, and the JeI, an Islamist party, have historically worked together, particularly in opposition to the then ruling Awami League. However, their alliance has been challenged over time due to legal, political, and ideological shifts.

The BNP was founded in 1978 by Ziaur Rahman, following his rise to power after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975. The party positioned itself as a nationalist alternative to the Awami League.

The JeI, originally banned in Bangladesh due to its role in opposing the Liberation War of 1971, was re-legalised in 1979 under Ziaur Rahman’s leadership. This allowed Jamaat to re-enter mainstream politics and contest elections. In the 1991 general elections, the BNP formed the government, and the JeI, though not a formal ally, cooperated in parliamentary proceedings.

In 1996, the BNP lost the parliamentary elections to the Awami League, which formed the government. This defeat pushed BNP to seek stronger alliances with other opposition groups, including the JeI.

In 1999, the BNP and the JeI formally announced an alliance, along with Islami Oikya Jote and a faction of the Jatiya Party, to consolidate the anti-Awami League vote. This four-party alliance later secured a landslide victory in the 2001 general elections.

During this period, the JeI increased its influence within government institutions, which led to concerns over the Islamisation of certain policies. The BNP-JeI government faced criticism over alleged links to Islamist militant groups, such as Jama’atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), which carried out terrorist attacks in the country.

There were increased attacks on minorities and secular activists. Widespread corruption and human rights violations led to dissatisfaction among the people.

By 2006, political tensions escalated, and the government was accused of manipulating the electoral system, leading to violent protests and the eventual intervention of the military-backed caretaker government in 2007.

In the 2008 parliamentary elections, the Awami League won a landslide victory, and the BNP, along with the JeI, faced increasing political repression.

The Awami League government initiated war crimes trials against JeI leaders for their role in the 1971 war.

In 2013, the Supreme Court revoked the JeI’s registration, banning it from contesting elections. The BNP was then placed in a difficult position as supporting the JeI would alienate secular voters, while abandoning the JeI could weaken its electoral base.

Now, after the ouster of the Awami League government in August 2024, an interim government was installed with Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus as the Chief Adviser. The interim government’s responsibility is to hold fresh parliamentary elections.

“After the Awami League government fell, the BNP thought that it would take over,” Bangladeshi academic and political observer Sharin Shajahan Naomi told ETV Bharat. “It didn’t happen. Instead, different power centres emerged dominated by Islamist groups.”

Naomi explained that the current political landscape in Bangladesh is divided between the Islamist and secular groups, with the Islamists dominating.

“So, it is a chance for the BNP to lead the secular forces because the Awami League is not going to come back soon,” she said. “But the BNP has to make it clear what their relationship with India would be. It should clarify whether it is with the secular forces with the Liberation War spirit.”

Naomi said that lots of Awami League people are also joining the BNP. She is of the view that if India does not support the secular forces in Bangladesh, it will be difficult to maintain good relations between New Delhi and Dhaka.

“The good thing is that the BNP has freedom fighters within their ranks,” she said. “They have the Liberation War spirit with them. The BNP also has Hindu leaders. The BNP should be clear. In fact, its founder Ziaur Rahman was secular in his political outlook.”

However, reports suggest that the BNP, in competition with the JeI, is also trying to woo other Islamist forces. According to a report in the Prothom Alo, within a week of Jamaat-e-Islami amir Shafiqur Rahman’s meeting with Islami Andolan Bangladesh’s (IAB) amir Syed Rezaul Karim, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir met him on Monday amid various discussions centering the time of next election and institutional reforms.

The IAB is a major Deobandi Islamist political party in Bangladesh. It was founded in 1987 by Fazlul Karim as Islami Shashontantra Andolan (Islamic Governance Movement), and took its current name in 2008. The party has been maintaining a distance from both the dominant parties in Bangladesh, the Awami League and the BNP.

According to Naomi, the BNP knows that without the support of some Islamist forces, it cannot win the elections when these are held.

“Hence, the BNP is negotiating with both the secular and Islamist forces,” she said.

According to an Indian expert on the politics and economy of Bangladesh who spoke to ETV Bharat on the condition of anonymity, though the BNP was seen as the main opposition when the Awami League was in power, it was on paper only.

“The Awami League smashed the BNP almost into oblivion,” the expert said. “The main opposition was the JeI because of its strong voice for Islamist forces. However, the JeI is no longer that powerful a force and is now reduced to a few pockets.”

The expert explained that the forces that controlled the JeI too know this and are hence promoting other Islamist forces like the Hizb-ut-Tahrir. The leaders of last year’s students’ movement that led to Hasina’s ouster were actually trained in madrassas run by the Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Question is, given the apparent differences arising between the BNP and the JeI, what can one expect in Bangladesh politics next? Watch this space.

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