Thursday, 15 January, 2026
The 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, formed to consolidate the Islamist vote under the much-touted "single box" strategy, is now teetering on the brink of a major internal crisis over seat-sharing.
Despite consecutive days of negotiations, a consensus remains frustratingly elusive. Jamaat had planned a media briefing on Wednesday to officially announce the alliance's candidate list following a joint session with all partners, but the announcement was abruptly postponed. Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad declined to explain the sudden delay.
Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh has openly voiced growing mistrust of Jamaat’s intentions. Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman told reporters that internal "rifts" are emerging within the alliance, driven by fears that Jamaat may emulate the role once played by the Jatiya Party in parliament — cooperating with the ruling party while nominally acting as opposition, a move Ataur said could further destabilise the political landscape.
Several parties, including Islami Andolan and the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), have hinted that they may exit the alliance if they do not secure the seats they consider their due, or if negotiations fail to respect agreed principles.
The coalition, which includes eight religion-based parties — Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), and Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) — converged to demand parliamentary polls under a proportional representation system and a referendum ahead of the general election. The National Citizen Party (NCP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and AB Party later joined, forming the wider 11-party alliance.
Tensions over seat allocation have dominated media reports since nominations opened. Jamaat has nominated candidates for 276 constituencies, while Islami Andolan has filed for 268. Yet Islami Andolan claims it was only offered 35 seats, while it expects at least 150. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis were allocated 13 against their demand for 50, agreeing to contest only five; Nezam-e-Islam and Khelafat Andolon have two each, BDP and JAGPA one each. NCP initially sought more than 50 seats but settled for 30, with the final allocation still pending.
Ataur expressed sharp doubts over Jamaat’s true intentions, citing a recent meeting between the Jamaat chief and BNP leader Tarique Rahman discussing a post-election government. "This has created doubt for us," he said. "Will Jamaat-e-Islami play the role of a Jatiya Party, cooperating with the ruling party while acting as opposition? We fear history may repeat itself."
He added that the alliance’s original “platform of unity,” championed by the late Khaleda Zia, had effectively collapsed during her lifetime.
Ataur stressed that the disagreement is about respect as much as numbers. "We are independent actors; we will not accept anything imposed upon us. Everyone has self-respect. If a relationship is not built on goodwill, walking the same path becomes difficult," he said.
On the future of the "One Box Policy," Ataur said the party is consulting its nationwide leadership and other coalition members. "We have not reached a conclusion yet. We will act rationally, analysing the overall national situation before deciding the way forward," he added.
With the 13th general election and a referendum set for February 12, and the final candidate list to be announced on January 20 after appeals following nomination scrutiny, the alliance’s internal tensions raise serious questions about whether the Islamist bloc can present a united front in the run-up to the polls.
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The 11-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, formed to consolidate the Islamist vote under the much-touted "single box" strategy, is now teetering on the brink of a major internal crisis over seat-sharing.
Despite consecutive days of negotiations, a consensus remains frustratingly elusive. Jamaat had planned a media briefing on Wednesday to officially announce the alliance's candidate list following a joint session with all partners, but the announcement was abruptly postponed. Jamaat Assistant Secretary General AHM Hamidur Rahman Azad declined to explain the sudden delay.
Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh has openly voiced growing mistrust of Jamaat’s intentions. Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman told reporters that internal "rifts" are emerging within the alliance, driven by fears that Jamaat may emulate the role once played by the Jatiya Party in parliament — cooperating with the ruling party while nominally acting as opposition, a move Ataur said could further destabilise the political landscape.
Several parties, including Islami Andolan and the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), have hinted that they may exit the alliance if they do not secure the seats they consider their due, or if negotiations fail to respect agreed principles.
The coalition, which includes eight religion-based parties — Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), and Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) — converged to demand parliamentary polls under a proportional representation system and a referendum ahead of the general election. The National Citizen Party (NCP), Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and AB Party later joined, forming the wider 11-party alliance.
Tensions over seat allocation have dominated media reports since nominations opened. Jamaat has nominated candidates for 276 constituencies, while Islami Andolan has filed for 268. Yet Islami Andolan claims it was only offered 35 seats, while it expects at least 150. Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis were allocated 13 against their demand for 50, agreeing to contest only five; Nezam-e-Islam and Khelafat Andolon have two each, BDP and JAGPA one each. NCP initially sought more than 50 seats but settled for 30, with the final allocation still pending.
Ataur expressed sharp doubts over Jamaat’s true intentions, citing a recent meeting between the Jamaat chief and BNP leader Tarique Rahman discussing a post-election government. "This has created doubt for us," he said. "Will Jamaat-e-Islami play the role of a Jatiya Party, cooperating with the ruling party while acting as opposition? We fear history may repeat itself."
He added that the alliance’s original “platform of unity,” championed by the late Khaleda Zia, had effectively collapsed during her lifetime.
Ataur stressed that the disagreement is about respect as much as numbers. "We are independent actors; we will not accept anything imposed upon us. Everyone has self-respect. If a relationship is not built on goodwill, walking the same path becomes difficult," he said.
On the future of the "One Box Policy," Ataur said the party is consulting its nationwide leadership and other coalition members. "We have not reached a conclusion yet. We will act rationally, analysing the overall national situation before deciding the way forward," he added.
With the 13th general election and a referendum set for February 12, and the final candidate list to be announced on January 20 after appeals following nomination scrutiny, the alliance’s internal tensions raise serious questions about whether the Islamist bloc can present a united front in the run-up to the polls.
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