Is Jamaat Ameer's Lenience Over Shariah Law An Electoral Ploy?

A Christian delegation team led by Martha Das said on Wednesday (14 January 2026) said after a meeting with Jamaat-E-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman that Jamaat will not work for establishing Shariah law if the party wins the 13th parliamentary elections. Martha Das told journalists that Dr. Shafiqur Rahman gave her this assurance during Wednesday's meeting.

Earlier on, Jamaat nominated two members from the minorities for the upcoming parliamentary elections. As a result a slightly lenient political approach is coming from Jamaat though it is a religion-based party mostly comprising theocratic zealots. However, questions and doubts still prevail because these announcements from Jamaat top leaders actually don't match Jamaat's party constitution. For this reason political analysts view Jamaat's current sayings as political ploys and gambits to impress people ahead of the elections scheduled to be held on 12 February 2026.

Political observers have said that it's nothing unnatural for political parties to resort to certain flexibility in their ideologies while the elections are just round the corner. Jamaat might have figured out that their brand of being a fundamentalist political party is not well accepted by millions of liberal people across Bangladesh. Reportedly Jamaat is speaking in a soft tone at present to convince voters. Jamaat leaders have said that they will conduct their party programs according to their theocratic constitution but they will attach highest importance to existing laws to run Bangladesh if they cut a good figure in the elections. Jamaat leaders have assured that Shariah law will not be imposed on people even if their party is elected to power.

Christian devotees had a meeting with Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman on 14 January 2026 at Jamaat central office in the capital's Moghbazar.
Christian theologian Martha Das said "We have had a meeting with Jamaat-E-Islami Ameer. He has assured that if they win the elections, Jamaat will not execute Shariah law in Bangladesh." Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer was standing by Martha Das while the Christian leader was speaking to journalists. Ehsanul Mahbub Zubayer said that the current Constitution and laws of Bangladesh are good enough to run the country in Islamic terms and Jamaat will pay due respect to the believers in all religions under all circumstances. A lot of confabulations are going on whether Jamaat leaders are speaking so liberally in an honest way or these rosy words are just strategies to secure votes.

Daily Naya Diganta Editor Salahuddin Muhammad Babar has stated that there have been many qualitative changes in Jamaat's political character. 

Salahuddin Muhammad Babar quoted Jamaat Ameer saying that Jamaat will be working for the welfare of the downtrodden people across Bangladesh. Mr. Babar regards the nomination of two Hindu candidates from Jamaat as a sign of the party's new political outlook. Most of the Muslims all over Bangladesh don't like fanaticism and Jamaat has realized this pulse, Salahuddin Muhammad Babar added.

Jamaat reportedly wants to make adjustment with interreligious compromise for being elected during the polls. Nevertheless, another Jamaat central leader Matiur Rahman Akand told BBC Bangla "Jamaat Ameer has said that people's opinions and choices will be honoured if Jamaat wins the elections but Dr. Shafiqur Rahman did not exactly say that Shariah law will not be implemented."

It may be recalled that Jamaat-E-Islami was founded in 1941 by Sayeed Abul Aala Moududi. Sayeed Abul Aala Moududi was arrested in 1948 when Jamaat started campaigning in favour of formulating an Islamic constitution. Moududi was released from prison two years later.

Jamaat opposed the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and the independence of Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War. Jamaat bounced back in Bangladesh's political arena during 1979. However, several Jamaat leaders were executed on charges of 1971 war crimes after Awami League won a landslide victory in the December 2008 elections and formed a government in 2009. Jamaat at that time faced a lot of pressure due to their participation in anti-independence activities back in 1971. Jamaat amended the party's constitution in 2012 to meet the terms and conditions of the Election Commission for registration as a political party.

>>BBC