Is Jamaat pivoting to a 'softer' Islamic discourse?
“The document reflects an attempt by the party to modernise its image and adapt to contemporary political realities,” said Dr Sabbir Ahmed, professor of Political Science at Dhaka University.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami seems to be stepping back from explicit hardline Islamic ruling and instead emphasises a softer, substance-based Islamic discourse, said Dr Sabbir Ahmed, professor of Political Science at Dhaka University.
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami's election manifesto, unveiled today ahead of the 13th national election, reflects what Dr Ahmed describes as a notable strategic recalibration aimed at adapting to contemporary political realities.
"The document reflects an attempt by the party to modernise its image and adapt to contemporary political realities," he told The Business Standard.
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According to him, the manifesto avoids direct, heavy-handed references to "Shariah Laws" and instead emphasizes the substance of Islamic teachings; such as social justice, equality, and human dignity – an approach closer to political Islam practices in countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Turkey.
"In countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, Islamic parties focus less on the formal legalistic aspects of Shariah and more on the moral and humanitarian substance of the religion. Jamaat has tactfully adopted this approach."
He explained that this shift mirrors the "Malaysian experiment," where Islamic parties realized that religious slogans alone do not guarantee votes.
"They understood that to succeed in electoral politics, they must address the people's daily problems rather than just relying on hardline rhetoric. When they shifted their focus to public issues, they performed better. Jamaat appears to be following this trajectory," he explained.
