Saturday, 17 January, 2026
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has disclosed that he held talks with an Indian diplomat that were kept out of the public eye at the diplomat’s request, a revelation that has stirred political debate at a sensitive moment in Dhaka–New Delhi relations.
In an interview with British news agency Reuters, Rahman said the meeting took place earlier this year and was not made public because the Indian representative explicitly asked that it remain confidential.
He noted that while diplomats from other countries routinely meet political leaders openly, this particular interaction was treated differently.
Rahman used the interview to outline Jamaat-e-Islami’s foreign policy outlook, stressing the need for balanced relations with all countries rather than alignment with any single power.
On India, he said bilateral ties had remained strained since the fall of Sheikh Hasina, adding that her continued presence in India was a major impediment to rebuilding trust between the two neighbours.
“We have to be open to everyone. There is no alternative to improving mutual relations,” Rahman said, underscoring Jamaat’s stated preference for engagement over confrontation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to the Reuters interview. However, a source in the Indian government told the agency that New Delhi maintains contacts with a range of political parties in Bangladesh as part of its ongoing diplomatic engagement.
Turning to domestic politics, Rahman said Jamaat-e-Islami was considering the formation of a “national consensus government” after the next general election, scheduled for February.
Speaking from his office in a residential area of Dhaka, he said Jamaat would not seek to govern alone even if it performed strongly at the polls, but would instead favour a broad-based coalition to ensure political stability.
“We want to see a stable state for at least five years. If the parties agree, then we will all run the government together,” he said, adding that corruption-free governance must be a shared commitment of any such administration.
On leadership, Rahman said the prime minister should come from the party that secures the highest number of seats. He added that if Jamaat were to win an absolute majority, the party would decide internally whether he himself would be its candidate.
Political circles have been abuzz in recent months over speculation of a possible alliance between Jamaat and the Gen Z–led National Citizen Party (NCP).
Citing opinion poll data, the Reuters report said Jamaat could emerge as the second-largest force in the election after returning to mainstream politics following a 17-year absence, trailing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) by a relatively narrow margin. Jamaat was previously a partner in the BNP-led four-party alliance government from 2001 to 2006.
The party lost its registration following a 2013 court ruling but regained legal status under a decision of the interim government after Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student–mass uprising in August 2024.
Rahman also reiterated Jamaat’s discomfort with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, saying the party would not feel comfortable being part of any government that included a president elected unopposed with the backing of the Awami League.
President Shahabuddin earlier told Reuters he was willing to consider stepping down midway through his term, but on Wednesday declined to comment further, saying he did not wish to complicate the situation.
India Terms Meeting ‘Routine Engagement’
Meanwhile, New Delhi has sought to play down the controversy, saying the reported meeting between a senior Indian diplomat and the Jamaat chief was part of routine diplomatic engagement.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs made the comment on Friday, nearly two weeks after the issue surfaced, according to The Hindu.
Responding to questions at a regular briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indian High Commission officials in Dhaka “routinely meet several interlocutors” as part of maintaining close bilateral ties with Bangladesh.
“Interaction with Jamaat should be viewed in that context,” he said.
The issue first entered the public domain after Reuters published Rahman’s interview on December 31, 2025, in which he said the meeting had not been disclosed at India’s request. Reports appeared on the same day Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was in Dhaka to pay his last respects to former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Following domestic media coverage describing the interaction as “secret”, Rahman issued a sharp protest the next day. In a post on his Facebook page, he said he had met two Indian diplomats in mid-2025 and that the disclosure had been made at their request, insisting there was “nothing secret” about the meetings.
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Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman has disclosed that he held talks with an Indian diplomat that were kept out of the public eye at the diplomat’s request, a revelation that has stirred political debate at a sensitive moment in Dhaka–New Delhi relations.
In an interview with British news agency Reuters, Rahman said the meeting took place earlier this year and was not made public because the Indian representative explicitly asked that it remain confidential.
He noted that while diplomats from other countries routinely meet political leaders openly, this particular interaction was treated differently.
Rahman used the interview to outline Jamaat-e-Islami’s foreign policy outlook, stressing the need for balanced relations with all countries rather than alignment with any single power.
On India, he said bilateral ties had remained strained since the fall of Sheikh Hasina, adding that her continued presence in India was a major impediment to rebuilding trust between the two neighbours.
“We have to be open to everyone. There is no alternative to improving mutual relations,” Rahman said, underscoring Jamaat’s stated preference for engagement over confrontation.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not immediately respond to the Reuters interview. However, a source in the Indian government told the agency that New Delhi maintains contacts with a range of political parties in Bangladesh as part of its ongoing diplomatic engagement.
Turning to domestic politics, Rahman said Jamaat-e-Islami was considering the formation of a “national consensus government” after the next general election, scheduled for February.
Speaking from his office in a residential area of Dhaka, he said Jamaat would not seek to govern alone even if it performed strongly at the polls, but would instead favour a broad-based coalition to ensure political stability.
“We want to see a stable state for at least five years. If the parties agree, then we will all run the government together,” he said, adding that corruption-free governance must be a shared commitment of any such administration.
On leadership, Rahman said the prime minister should come from the party that secures the highest number of seats. He added that if Jamaat were to win an absolute majority, the party would decide internally whether he himself would be its candidate.
Political circles have been abuzz in recent months over speculation of a possible alliance between Jamaat and the Gen Z–led National Citizen Party (NCP).
Citing opinion poll data, the Reuters report said Jamaat could emerge as the second-largest force in the election after returning to mainstream politics following a 17-year absence, trailing the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) by a relatively narrow margin. Jamaat was previously a partner in the BNP-led four-party alliance government from 2001 to 2006.
The party lost its registration following a 2013 court ruling but regained legal status under a decision of the interim government after Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a student–mass uprising in August 2024.
Rahman also reiterated Jamaat’s discomfort with President Mohammed Shahabuddin, saying the party would not feel comfortable being part of any government that included a president elected unopposed with the backing of the Awami League.
President Shahabuddin earlier told Reuters he was willing to consider stepping down midway through his term, but on Wednesday declined to comment further, saying he did not wish to complicate the situation.
India Terms Meeting ‘Routine Engagement’
Meanwhile, New Delhi has sought to play down the controversy, saying the reported meeting between a senior Indian diplomat and the Jamaat chief was part of routine diplomatic engagement.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs made the comment on Friday, nearly two weeks after the issue surfaced, according to The Hindu.
Responding to questions at a regular briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Indian High Commission officials in Dhaka “routinely meet several interlocutors” as part of maintaining close bilateral ties with Bangladesh.
“Interaction with Jamaat should be viewed in that context,” he said.
The issue first entered the public domain after Reuters published Rahman’s interview on December 31, 2025, in which he said the meeting had not been disclosed at India’s request. Reports appeared on the same day Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was in Dhaka to pay his last respects to former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Following domestic media coverage describing the interaction as “secret”, Rahman issued a sharp protest the next day. In a post on his Facebook page, he said he had met two Indian diplomats in mid-2025 and that the disclosure had been made at their request, insisting there was “nothing secret” about the meetings.
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