Seat-sharing crisis deepens inside Jamaat-led alliance
Abu Jakir :
Cracks inside the 11-party alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami surfaced more openly on Wednesday after Islami Andolon Bangladesh signalled it may explore a new political configuration, citing unresolved disputes over seat sharing ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election.
The indication came as a press conference, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon to announce a final seat-sharing arrangement among the alliance partners, was postponed at the last moment, officially for “unavoidable reasons.” Jamaat later said some preparations were still incomplete and that a new date would be announced.
But behind the postponement lies a deeper impasse.
Speaking to reporters at Islami Andolon’s central office in Purana Paltan on Wednesday afternoon, the party’s senior joint secretary general and spokesperson, Gazi Ataur Rahman, acknowledged that negotiations with Jamaat had reached a complicated stage and that no final decision had yet been made about the party’s electoral path.
“January 20 is the last day for withdrawal of nominations. The election is on February 12. Until then, many things can still happen,” he said, adding that Islami Andolon is in discussions with “those who have respect for us.”
His remarks were widely interpreted as a signal that the party is keeping open the option of a new alliance or a broader political arrangement if talks with Jamaat fail.
The alliance, formed in the aftermath of the 2024 mass uprising, initially brought together several Islamist parties under a shared banner.
Over time, with the inclusion of newer groups such as the National Citizen Party, it expanded into an 11-party bloc and shifted from street coordination to electoral bargaining. That shift is now testing the coalition’s cohesion.
The immediate dispute centres on how many constituencies each party will contest. Islami Andolon is seeking a substantially larger share of seats than Jamaat is currently willing to concede.
Party sources say Islami Andolon wants at least 50 constituencies, while Jamaat leaders are reluctant to go beyond around 40. The disagreement forced the postponement of Wednesday’s press conference, which was supposed to formally announce who would contest where.
Gazi Ataur Rahman said the party had hoped all issues would be settled before the nomination withdrawal deadline, but that no agreement had been reached even by Tuesday.
He said Islami Andolon held internal meetings, gathered opinions from leaders at different levels and reviewed field assessments before placing the matter before its majlis-e-amla, the party’s highest policy forum, earlier on Wednesday.
He stressed that Islami Andolon does not want imposed decisions. “We wanted to move forward on the basis of mutual respect and dignity. Seat understanding does not mean one party will pressure another,” he said.
“If anyone spreads claims that all candidates in 300 seats have already been finalised unilaterally, that makes future cooperation very difficult.”
While insisting that a complete breakdown has not yet occurred, he admitted that “there are crises in seat understanding, and that cannot be denied.”
He also pointed to a growing unease within his party following recent political signals from Jamaat. Referring to Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman’s meeting with BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his remarks about reviving a broader national unity platform, Gazi Ataur said this had created “some doubts” inside Islami Andolon about whether Jamaat might eventually play a role similar to that of the Jatiya Party in earlier political configurations.
Asked whether divisions in Jamaat’s alliance would benefit the BNP, he replied, “That is natural. If anyone gains advantage from this, they may gain it. Is that our responsibility?”
He also dismissed speculation of ongoing talks with BNP, saying the party had already finalised its own political design. On whether Islami Andolon might go it alone, he said no final decision has been made and that discussions are continuing with multiple parties, both within and outside the original five-party Islamist grouping.
The uncertainty was reinforced earlier in the day when Jamaat announced the postponement of the alliance press conference that was to be held at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Dhaka. Senior leaders from all 11 parties had been expected to attend and unveil the long-awaited seat-sharing formula.
Alliance insiders say repeated meetings over recent weeks have failed to produce a comprehensive settlement. Although “some decisions” have reportedly been reached, dissatisfaction among grassroots leaders and aspirants has grown as the delay drags on, hampering early campaigning and encouraging parallel preparations.
Islami Andolon’s position has been one of the most sensitive fault lines. The party has submitted nomination papers in 272 constituencies, a move widely seen by analysts as leverage-building — either to strengthen its hand in negotiations or to keep the option of a wider independent contest open.
Discontent has also been reported among other partners, some of whom expect to contest only a handful of seats. At the same time, Jamaat leaders privately acknowledge resentment within their own ranks, as accommodating allies has meant sidelining long-time Jamaat aspirants in several constituencies.