Bangladesh Election: As Bangladesh is all set vote on Thursday, February 12, to democratically elect its government after Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August 2024, the hardliner Jamaat appears to be softening its stance on India. Since August 2024, Bangladesh has been running on an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus after the PM Sheikh Hasina left the country amid the violent protests in July 2024.

The election in the neighbouring country on Thursday marks one of the key polls in South Asia. While it is yet to be decided who will win the election, two parties are frontrunners for the leading position: the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami, a hardline Islamist party that is also trying to woo voters from all sections of society.

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'We Have To Work Together': Bangladesh Leader

One of the key candidates of the elections is Barrister Mir Ahmad Bin Quasem Arman, who is a Jamaat-e-Islami candidate from the Dhaka-14 constituency, fighting a high-profile election. Arman is a victim of forced disappearance in Bangladesh and said that his party reportedly doesn’t want fascism in the country. "We do not want fascism again. I was a victim of an enforced disappearance. I hope the referendum will see a 'Yes' victory,” NDTV quoted him as saying.

Signalling a softer stance on India, Arman told the media outlet that ‘India and Bangladesh are indispensable’. Arman is among the big faces of the Jamaat and is advocating working together with India. "India and Bangladesh are indispensable for each other, and we have to work together,” Arman added.

This comment is seen as a sign that Jamaat may now be open to cooperating with India, even though it has historically been close to Pakistan. It remains a major challenge for the government, especially since India shares nearly the entire land border with Bangladesh.

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While many Bangladesh observers see BNP as the frontrunner, Jamaat has worked on its weak areas and is now aiming for a majority. Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said, "Just one year ago, my party was written off as marginal, predicted to win only a handful of seats. Today, Jamaat stands on the brink of a majority. This is the people's will. When the people unite, nothing can stop them."