Bangladesh held its first election on Thursday since mass protests in 2024 toppled Sheikh Hasina’s government. The vote was largely peaceful and widely seen as a crucial test of the country’s democracy after years of political unrest.
Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman said he “will not do opposition politics for the sake of it” as the rival BNP looks set to cross the majority line, Reuters reported.
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“We will do positive politics,” Shafiqur Rahman told reporters as the rival Bangladesh Nationalist Party led with 131 seats, approaching half of the 151 in the 300-member legislature, Reuters reported.
Who is Shafiqur Rahman?
Born in 1958 in the northeastern district of Moulvibazar, Rahman began his political life in a left-wing student organization before joining Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the Jamaat.
He formally joined the Jamaat in 1984 and unsuccessfully contested national elections in 1996, 2001 and 2018. He became the party chief in 2020.
Rahman rose through the ranks of Jamaat-e-Islami over the years, holding positions such as Ameer of Sylhet city (1998–2007), Central Working Committee member (since 1998), Deputy General Secretary (2010), Acting General Secretary and General Secretary until 2019.
Under the previous Awami League government led by Sheikh Hasina, the Jamaat faced severe restrictions, including the arrest of its leaders, but the party has regained prominence following political changes in Bangladesh.
His wife Amina Begum served in Parliament in 2018 and is also a doctor, as are their two daughters and a son. Rahman is the founding chairman of a family hospital in the northeastern district of Sylhet, Reuters reported.
What was Rahman’s attitude towards women leadership?
The party’s stance on women and leadership remains controversial. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rahman said a woman could not hold the party’s top position, citing biological and physical limitations.
“Allah created everyone with a different nature. A man cannot carry a child or breastfeed. When a mother gives birth, how will she fulfill these duties? It is not possible,” he said, drawing criticism of the Jamaat’s gender policy despite attempts to present a more inclusive image, according to an Al Jazeera report.
Rahman has faced controversy over his views on women as the Jamaat-e-Islami has not fielded a single female candidate.
He suggested that women should not work more than five hours a day to focus on family responsibilities and recently posted on social media that encouraging women to leave the home in the name of modernity was “a form of prostitution”. The post sparked protests at several universities, although Jamaat later claimed the account had been hacked, Reuters reported.
Rahman claims that the Jamaat is “moderate, we are flexible, we are reasonable”. He added: “But our principles are based on Islamic values, the values of the Koran. The Koran is not just for Muslims, it is for all creation.”
Many in Dhaka say they barely knew his full name during Hasina’s rule, in stark contrast to his arch-rival and BNP chief Tariq Rahman, son of former prime minister Khaled Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman.
parliament of bangladesh
The Parliament of Bangladesh (Jatiya Sangsad) has 350 seats, of which 300 are directly elected from single-member constituencies and 50 are reserved for women. Members are elected by plurality for a five-year term. Voting in one constituency was recently postponed following the death of a candidate.
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The election comes after a turbulent period in Bangladesh marked by mob violence, attacks on Hindu minorities and journalists, the growing influence of Islamist groups and fears of a weakening of the rule of law.
It could significantly affect the domestic stability of the country, which has been shaped by entrenched political parties, military coups and allegations of vote rigging since independence in 1971.
Young voters, many of whom were active in the 2024 uprising, are expected to play a key role, with around 5 million first-time voters likely to take part.
(With input from agencies)