Bangladesh’s Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Offers India Reassurance, Makes Major Announcement on Bilateral Ties

Dhaka: Ahead of the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, the chief of the hardline Islamic party Jamaat-e-Islami, Shafiqur Rahman, has given a reassuring message to India, signaling a potential thaw in strained bilateral ties.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Rahman stated that if his party comes to power, it would not cause any harm to India. Responding to a question about the possibility of India refusing to hand over Sheikh Hasina, Rahman said, “We will engage in meaningful dialogue with India. Our party’s position is clear: we will not cause any trouble to our neighbors, and in return, we expect mutual respect and trust.”

Rahman also addressed allegations regarding Jamaat-e-Islami’s involvement in the atrocities against Bengali people during the 1971 Liberation War. He denied the party’s participation in armed actions, calling its decisions at the time political rather than military. He argued that the party’s leadership had feared that Indian support for Bangladesh’s independence would result in undue Indian influence in the newly formed country.

Further emphasizing his inclusive approach, Rahman appealed to Hindu voters to support Jamaat-e-Islami in the upcoming elections. At a rally in Khulna-1, a constituency with a Hindu majority, Rahman announced that the party had fielded Nandi, the head of its local Hindu committee and close associate of party secretary Mia Golam, as its candidate. He stressed that the party is committed to creating a safe Bangladesh for people of all faiths and that industry and governance should operate without religious discrimination.

Rahman revealed that he recently met with Indian diplomats, reiterating that Bangladesh belongs to all its citizens, not only Muslims, who form the majority. “This country is like a garden of unity,” he said, highlighting the presence of multiple religious communities. Rahman emphasized that Jamaat-e-Islami will act as a guardian of the rights and properties of all citizens and that no individual will be targeted on the basis of religion.

He also criticized the family-based politics of the BNP and vowed that both BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami will ensure Hindu security. Meanwhile, India continues to urge the Mohammed Yunus government to guarantee the protection of Hindus, a responsibility the current administration has struggled to fully meet.