IAB leaves Jamaat-led bloc, to run solo in 268 seats

After days of suspense, Islami Andolon Bangladesh (IAB) yesterday finally announced that it parted ways from the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11-party electoral alliance, saying it does not want to engage in politics by “depending on others’ favour”. 

The party added that it is preparing to contest the next general election independently in 268 out of 300 constituencies. 

The development came just a day after the combine named its single candidates for 253 constituencies at a press conference, where no IAB representative showed up.

Explaining the decision at a briefing in the party’s Purana Paltan central office, IAB Spokesperson Gazi Ataur Rahman said the party had been “deprived of justice” in the seat-sharing process and that the alliance had “deviated from Islamic ideals”. 

He further said they would support candidates in the remaining 32 seats whose values align with the party’s principles.

Ataur, also IAB senior joint secretary general, said the briefing was organised on the “instruction” of party Ameer and Chormonai Pir Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim.

Asked whether the party left the combine because it did not receive the number of seats it expected, the Islami Andolon 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 alleged that Jamaat’s “authoritarian” conduct during the negotiations had “humiliated” them. 

“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.”

Islami Andolon had been part of the Jamaat-led 11-party bloc. However, tensions between the two sides over seat-sharing had been in the spotlight over the past several days.

After days of bargaining and marathon meetings, 10 parties under Jamaat’s leadership reached a seat-sharing arrangement. 

On Thursday night, the alliance declared its nominees in 253 constituencies at a press briefing at the Diploma Engineers Institution in the capital, leaving 47 seats vacant for IAB and two other partners -- Bangladesh Khilafat Andolan and Jatiya Gonotantrik Party.

Jamaat has been allotted 179 seats, National Citizen Party (NCP) 30, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis 20, Khelafat Majlis 10, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) seven, Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party three, while Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party and Bangladesh Development Party have been allotted two seats each.

At yesterday’s briefing, IAB leader Ataur said, “We know our path ahead may not be smooth, because we do not practise power politics. Our primary goal is Islam. We prioritise Islam and practise politics based on our principles. But here we see that on questions of principles, politics, and justice, we have faced hostility.”

He also voiced concern about a “stage-managed election”.

Referring to Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman’s recent meeting with BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman, Ataur said after the meeting, he stated that they would form a post-election national government with the BNP and they would run the state based on the platform of unity created by Khaleda Zia.

“… Since we are their competitors, he [Shafiqur] went and made this declaration with a rival force that he would form a national government and govern the state on their platform of unity. He did not discuss this with us or with other partners. He made the announcement unilaterally.

“Our concern now is that if an understanding and coordination are reached with a rival party even before the polls, will this election actually be stage-managed? Will it be an election, or will it be a selection?”

The alliance took shape before the polls from a joint movement of eight religion-based parties to press home their demands, including elections under a proportional representation system and a referendum before the polls.

Initially, Jamaat, Islami Andolon, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa), Nezam-e-Islam Party, and Bangladesh Development Party were part of the platform.

As the 13th parliamentary election drew closer, discussions began on turning the platform into an electoral alliance. On the eve of the nomination deadline, NCP, LDP, and AB Party joined the bloc.

Islami Andolon and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, among others, objected to NCP’s inclusion. While Mamunul Haque’s Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish was eventually persuaded, the distance between Jamaat and Islami Andolon widened.

At the briefing, IAB leader Ataur said there was also suspicion within the party that “something else is happening behind the scenes” despite talks of unity. “For political gain, Jamaat-e-Islami is moving away from its core slogans and treating power as the sole priority,” he alleged.

JAMAAT’S REACTION

Asked whether the alliance collapsed after Islami Andolon’s exit, Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair, Jamaat’s assistant secretary general and chief of central publicity & media department, said, “No. Why would it collapse? We did not form any formal alliance. It was an understanding. They [Islami Andolon] could not reach that understanding.”

“We have kept a respectable number of seats for them. A liaison committee sat and decisions were made jointly by all parties. They did not even turn up despite saying they would. These things happen in politics.”

In response to another query, the Jamaat leader said no decision has been made yet regarding the 47 seats where no candidates were fielded. “This will be decided within a day or two”.