Dhaka, Jan 17
Just days ahead of the Bangladesh general elections, fissures have emerged within the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, after coalition partner Islami Andolon Bangladesh announced its decision to part ways with the bloc, local media reported.
Stressing that it does not wish to engage in politics by "depending on others' favour", the IAB on Friday said that it plans to contest the next general elections independently in 268 out of 300 constituencies.
The development comes a day after the Jamaat-led alliance announced seat allocations for 253 constituencies ahead of the February polls while addressing a press briefing in Dhaka, which was boycotted by IAB, one of its key allies.
Speaking to the media at the party's Purana Paltan central office in the capital, IAB Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman said the party had been "deprived of justice" during the seat-sharing arrangement and alleged that the alliance had "deviated from Islamic ideals", Bangladesh's leading newspaper The Daily Star reported.
Asked whether the party had quit the alliance over seat allocation, the IAB leader said, "The number of seats can be more or less. But here, in the process (of seat sharing), our self-respect was hurt. That is also a major reason."
Ataur accused Jamaat of "authoritarian" conduct during the negotiations, saying it had "humiliated" his party.
"We are compelled to declare before you today (Friday) that out of the 270 constituencies where Islami Andolon Bangladesh submitted nomination papers, two candidates were rejected on appeal. The candidacies of 268 others are valid. We have instructed them to contest the election. Not a single one will withdraw," The Daily Star quoted the IAB leader as saying.
According to local media reports, Jamaat and IAB -- two of the largest Islamist groups in the country -- had been engaged in talks for over three months to consolidate Islamist votes under the Jamaat 11 party alliance.
IAB had been part of the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, and tensions between the two sides over seat-sharing arrangements had intensified over the past several days.
Earlier, despite extended negotiations, the talks failed just short of the December 29, 2025, nomination deadline, prompting both parties to submit nominations in hundreds of seats, triggering turmoil within the alliance.
According to the Election Commission data, Jamaat filed nominations in 276 seats on the final day, while Islami Andolan submitted nomination papers in 268 seats.
Bangladesh's elections, scheduled for February 12, are unfolding amid escalating political tensions, with rifts widening across party lines.
- IANS
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