Jamaat chief meets Khaleda in London

Staff Reporter :

A discreet weekend meeting between senior leaders of Bangladesh’s opposition parties – the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami – has sparked a wave of political speculation, following a viral social media post that brought the private gathering into the public eye.

According to a Facebook post by Maruf Kamal Khan, former press secretary to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman and Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syeed Abdullah Muhammad Taher met with Khaleda at the residence of her son, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of BNP, in Kingston, London, on Saturday afternoon. The post, shared earlier this week, has since attracted considerable attention across Bangladeshi political circles and social media platforms.

While the post confirmed that the meeting took place, it offered few details about its contents. In response to queries, Maruf Kamal stated, “Everything has been mentioned in the status. You can quote from there,” declining to elaborate further.

The meeting took place against a backdrop of political turbulence in Bangladesh, with the country’s interim government under mounting pressure to hold national elections and address internal disagreements within the opposition coalition. BNP and Jamaat, historical allies that have been estranged in recent years, have not publicly acknowledged any renewed cooperation.

A senior Jamaat-e-Islami UK official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed awareness of the meeting but declined to comment further, citing strategic considerations. “Since no one from BNP has made any official statement, we are also refraining,” the official said.

Efforts to contact Jamaat leaders Shafiqur Rahman and Syeed Taher for comment were unsuccessful. Similarly, MA Malek, President of the BNP’s UK chapter, said he was unaware of the meeting. “I have no knowledge of such a development,” Malek stated when contacted.

Despite the silence from official party sources, a BNP insider, familiar with the matter, disclosed that the discussion primarily centred on the upcoming national elections and potential seat-sharing arrangements between the two parties. The source noted that while Dr. Shafiqur Rahman had previously visited London in 2024, no meeting with Tarique Rahman had occurred at that time, indicating a possible shift in political strategy as the election approaches.

The timing and nature of the meeting have led to speculation regarding whether the BNP is seeking to consolidate its opposition bloc amid growing tensions with the interim government. The revelation has also raised questions about the future of BNP-Jamaat relations, particularly in light of Jamaat’s evolving stance on reforms and participation in the forthcoming general election.

Neither BNP nor Jamaat has issued any formal statement regarding the meeting, leaving room for continued political speculation about whether this signals a renewed alliance or merely represents a tactical conversation in a politically tensed environment.