In a stunning pre-election twist, Islami Andolan Bangladesh (IAB) has severed ties with the Jamaat-e-Islami-dominated alliance, primarily over contentious seat allocations. This fracture, announced Friday in Dhaka, threatens to upend strategies just weeks before the February 12 polls.
IAB’s bold move stems from dissatisfaction with the coalition’s press conference unveiling, where it was sidelined despite months of groundwork. Party spokesman Ghazi Ataur Rahman minced no words: the process not only shortchanged them but also insulted their self-respect. He lambasted Jamaat for high-handed tactics, claiming the bloc had deviated from Islamist ideals.
Opting for independence, IAB will field candidates across 268 seats, with 268 nominations validated after two rejections. ‘Our fighters stay in the ring—no retreats,’ Rahman told reporters. This defiance follows a nomination rush on December 29, when failed talks led to duplicate entries: Jamaat on 276 seats, IAB on 268.
The 11-party coalition, aimed at unifying Islamic votes, now hangs by a thread. Tensions simmered for days, exacerbated by overlapping ambitions. Election Commission figures underscore the scale of overlap, hinting at potential vote splits that could hand advantages to incumbents.
Political observers note this schism exposes deeper rifts within Bangladesh’s conservative camp. As deadlines loom, the realigned forces must recalibrate. For voters, it means more choices but also confusion, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown where alliances matter less than individual grit.