Bangladesh’s Largest Islamist Party Demands Electoral Reforms Ahead of 2026 Polls

Bangladesh’s Largest Islamist Party Demands Electoral Reforms Ahead of 2026 Polls
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Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, rallied at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on Saturday, demanding comprehensive reforms to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections ahead of the national polls expected next year, Al Jazeera reported.

The party presented a seven-point demand to the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, calling for an overhaul of the electoral system, justice for mass killings, essential political reforms, and the implementation of a charter based on last year’s mass uprising. Jamaat-e-Islami also called for introducing proportional representation in elections.

Iqbal Hossain, a supporter, declared the rally a call for a “new Bangladesh” guided by Islamic principles, honesty, and freedom from corruption. Party chief Shafiqur Rahman emphasized fighting corruption and extortion in the country’s future.

Jamaat-e-Islami, banned after siding with Pakistan in the 1971 war of independence, was reinstated by the Supreme Court last month, allowing it to contest the upcoming election. The ruling Awami League, now banned, condemned the rally, calling it a betrayal of the nation’s liberation struggle.

The political climate remains tense as Bangladesh approaches a critical electoral crossroads.