Is Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami sitting on the fence ahead of polls?

'Dui noukay pa diye chola,' is a well-known Bengali idiomatic expression. In English it is said 'sitting on the fence.' That seems to come true for Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami right now. 

In a historic first, the party, which says it follows the principles of Islam, has fielded a non-Muslim candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 February 2026 — a move that has sparked widespread curiosity across Bangladesh's political landscape.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has fielded Krishna Nandi, president of the party's Hindu committee in Dumuria Upazila, as its candidate for the Khulna-1 (Dakop–Batiaghata) constituency. Nandi is contesting the election under the party's electoral symbol, the balance scale. Meanwhile, recent news reports suggest that several more non-Muslim people – all Hindus – have joined the political party in districts such as Chapainawabganj, Rangpur, and Jhalakathi.

Apparently, Jamaat's visible move to accommodate people of all faiths in the party, for what it describes as inclusive progress, appears praiseworthy and commendable. 

In 2008, Jamaat-e-Islami revised its constitution to formally accommodate non-Muslims in the party in order to retain its registration under amended provisions of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), which require party constitutions to conform to the country's constitution and prohibit religious discrimination.

However, a careful reading of the party constitution's preamble, fundamental faith and guiding principles, along with its strict membership criteria, suggests that it is virtually impossible for non-Muslims and non-believers to join Jamaat-e-Islami. 

Without drastic amendments to its constitution, the party's attempt to shed its exclusive tag and present itself as an inclusive organisation like a political party, which is meant to be accessible to all citizens, falls short of genuine inclusivity.

Jamaat's constitution allows any citizen or any non-Muslim of Bangladesh to be associated with the organisation. But it still does not offer full membership to non-Muslim people. Section 11 of the Jamaat constitution reads: "Any non-Muslim citizen of Bangladesh can be an associate member of Jamaat-e-Islami if he/she expresses solidarity with the political and economic programmes of Jamaat-e-Islami."

So, Krishna Nandi, the Jamaat candidate for the Khulna-1 constituency, and the several other Hindus who have recently joined the party are not full members of the Jamaat-e-Islami.

Nonetheless, the oath-taking form prescribed for non-Muslims differs from that of Muslims. Under this declaration, a non-Muslim inductee pledges to observe the discipline and decisions of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami with full devotion, to give the highest priority to implementing the party's decisions, to play a devoted role in preserving the independence and sovereignty of Bangladesh and to refrain from resorting to any illegal means of income.

The party's fundamental faith section explicitly defines its ideology in strictly Islamic terms, asserting belief in Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad as central to its identity. The preamble states that there is no Lord except Allah, that all natural laws are controlled, dictated, and facilitated solely by Him, and that Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the prophet for the whole world, is the last and final prophet. It further declares that the Quran, sent by Allah, and the life of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) serve as the only model and ideology that human beings can follow. Such requirements are nearly impossible for non-Muslims to adhere to.

Full membership in the party also requires adherence to Islamic practice. Under Section 7, the constitution states that a person may become a member, or Rukon, only if he or she performs all Farz (mandatory Islamic duties) and Wajib (recommended) activities; abstains from income and behaviour contrary to submission to Allah; and avoids relationships with organisations whose policies are contrary to Islam.

Similarly, the duties and responsibilities of a member are explicitly tied to Islamic practices and rules, as outlined in Section 9 of the party's constitution. A member must be aware of the "boundaries of Shariah as determined by Allah; shape his or her belief, faith, thought, outlook, and activities in accordance with the Quran and the Sunnah; avoid all forms of affection and close association with religiously disobedient individuals and those who have deviated from Allah except for the cause of Islam; establish firm relationships with believers; and demonstrate adherence to the fundamental principles of Islam."

These requirements are religious and practice-based, not merely ideological, effectively making full membership inaccessible to non-Muslims and meaning that only Muslims can advance within the party's structures and policymaking.

These contradictions lay bare Jamaat-e-Islami's weak attempt to appear inclusive, exposing the party's indecision and political opportunism.

The contradictions still raise eyebrows from the constitutional point of view. An interpretation of Article 38 of the Constitution of Bangladesh suggests that while citizens enjoy the freedom to form associations or unions, this right does not extend to organisations established with the intent of creating discrimination among citizens on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, place of birth, or language.

This principle of inclusivity is reinforced in electoral law as well. Article 90C of the Representation of the People Order, 1972 says a political party shall not be qualified for registration if any discrimination regarding religion, race, caste, language or sex is apparent in its constitution.

The time is ripe for Jamaat-e-Islami to stand in one boat rather than ride two at once. Two boats cannot sail in the same direction at the same pace. The party must make a clear choice: whether it seeks to become an inclusive political force – a "moderate Islamist" party operating within the framework of popular democracy – or remain a religious entity that prioritises the incorporation of Islamic ideology into the state system.

According to Banglapedia, Jamaat-e-Islami was established in Lahore in 1941 with Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi as its chief, with the objective of launching an Islamic movement in the Indian subcontinent. Following the partition of India in 1947, the party split into Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, headquartered in Delhi, and Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, with its central office in Lahore. Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami later emerged from the East Pakistan branch.

At two critical political junctures in the subcontinent's history, Jamaat-e-Islami stood apart from popular political demands. In 1947, it opposed the creation of Pakistan under the Muslim League, arguing that a state based on ethnicity, geography or language would undermine Islamic unity. In 1971, it similarly opposed the creation of Bangladesh, contending that such a move would weaken Muslim political unity. During the Liberation War, Jamaat sided with the Pakistani state, with some of its leaders later accused of forming paramilitary groups responsible for killing civilians who supported the struggle for an independent Bangladesh.

Sketch: TBS

Shamim A Zahedy is a journalist. He can be reached at szahedy@yahoo.com.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.