Dhaka is buzzing with election fervor as Bangladesh gears up for the February 12 general elections. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has wasted no time in launching a pointed campaign, indirectly targeting Jamaat-e-Islami by urging voters to shun those who collaborated with Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir delivered this impassioned plea at an election rally in Thakurgaon-1 constituency, where he is contesting as a candidate. Speaking at the BD High School ground in Sadar upazila, Fakhrul warned the crowd, ‘Those who aided the Pakistani army until the very end are now begging for votes to rule the nation. Do not vote for them and ruin the country.’
He emphasized the sacred spirit of 1971, stating, ‘Our identity stems from that struggle. Bangladesh was born out of Pakistan’s exploitation and oppression. We fought against them and won our independence.’ Addressing Hindu community members present, Fakhrul reassured them, ‘You don’t need to live in fear of persecution across the country.’
Meanwhile, political tensions are escalating ahead of the polls. Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) have accused opposition parties of flagrant violations of the election code of conduct. Jamaat assistant secretary Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner in Dhaka, alleged targeted attacks on their workers. ‘Our female activists are being harassed, humiliated, forced to remove veils, and having their phones seized,’ he claimed, warning of worsening violence if unchecked.
NCP leaders echoed similar grievances, pointing to assaults on their Dhaka-18 candidate’s campaign and misuse of government vehicles by BNP’s Dhaka-8 contender. ‘Such open violations without repercussions breed fear and signal an uneven playing field,’ said NCP’s Ayman Raha.
As former allies who ousted Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government now scramble for power, Bangladesh’s political landscape is fraught with infighting. The BNP’s invocation of 1971 history underscores deep-seated divisions that could shape the election’s outcome and the nation’s future trajectory.