New Concerns at the Chicken Neck? Jamaat-e-Islami Wins 51 Border Seats in Bangladesh, Raises Security Alerts for India

Dhaka/New Delhi: The recent parliamentary elections in Bangladesh on February 12 have seen Jamaat-e-Islami secure a total of 68 seats, including 51 constituencies located along the Indian border—raising potential security concerns for India.

Jamaat’s chief, Shafiqur Rahman, had publicly assured that the party would maintain friendly relations with India. However, analysts say this statement was carefully crafted to address domestic and regional political considerations. Speaking to an Indian news channel a day before the elections, Rahman emphasized: “India is our closest neighbor. It is our priority.”

Border District Strongholds
A closer look at Jamaat-e-Islami’s 51 border constituencies shows significant electoral gains in districts adjacent to India, particularly in areas neighboring West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, and Tripura. The party’s influence in these districts, including Nilphamari (4 seats), Rangpur (6), Kurigram (4), Gaibandha (4), Chapainawabganj (3), Nagaon (1), Rajshahi (2), Kushtia (3), Chuadanga (2), Jhenaidah (3), Jessore (4), Khulna (2), Satkhira (4), Meherpur (2), Sherpur (1), Mymensingh (2), Sylhet (1), Noakhali (1), and Chattogram (2), underscores its growing foothold in strategic border regions.

According to reports by North East Eye, Indian security analysts are currently reviewing the electoral data to assess the implications for regional stability and cross-border security.

Implications for West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura
Political experts warn that Jamaat’s rising influence along Bangladesh’s border districts could impact neighboring Indian states. In particular, districts such as Satkhira, Jhenaidah, Jessore, Chapainawabganj, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Kushtia, and Rajshahi share close demographic and cultural ties with West Bengal’s Murshidabad, Malda, North 24 Parganas, Siliguri, and Koch Bihar. Analysts note a marked increase in politically assertive and sometimes violent trends among Muslim populations in these regions, largely driven by descendants of communities that migrated from India after Partition.

Bangladeshi political analysts suggest that Jamaat’s electoral gains in these border constituencies are significantly bolstered by this demographic, giving the party a strong base in areas critical for both Bangladesh and India’s border security.