Bangladesh's radical Jamaat party working overtime to reshape image

Dhaka: Over the last weekend, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) Secretary General, Mia Golam Parwar, while speaking as the Chief Guest at the members’ reunion (1977-2025) organised by Khulna Metropolitan Branch of Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), stated that now is the best time to send "Deen", or the righteous and pious, to the Parliament. He underscored that all those who were once associated with the student politics should now become active again.

Never in the last 54 years, Bangladeshi Muslims had such an untapped opportunity to take the power of the Islamic Movement to Parliament in 54 years. It seems that BJI has completed full preparations of fielding candidates in all 300 seats in the February 2026 parliamentary elections.

Parwar earlier spoke on September 25 as the chief guest at a student and youth rally in Dumuria upazila of Khulna district, pledging to build a clean, corruption-free and humane Bangladesh if his party comes to power. Parwar had said that Jamaat leaders would not use government vehicles or residences if elected in the upcoming election. He also pledged to eliminate youth unemployment.

This seems to be BJI's startling turnaround strategy of rebranding itself to become more palatable to international observers and a new generation of Bangladeshi voters following the end of the Awami League's rule on August 5, 2024. The effort involves symbolic changes, such as adopting a new, less overtly Islamist party logo, and ideological shifts, including adopting a more liberal and progressive platform.

Recent updates show that following the lifting of its ban in August 2024, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh has rapidly expanded its digital content and social media presence, primarily using platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Telegram. The party and its affiliate groups are now leveraging these platforms for political mobilisation, public messaging, and image management.

BJI is continuously expanding on major platforms where it posts videos and other content to garner support. The party also uses the platform to comment on current events, such as its candidate's viral video regarding Chittagong University. BJI social media accounts share news, party announcements, and highlight interactions with foreign ambassadors and dignitaries. The party also issues public statements in digital and social media including the recent refutation of claims that it advocates for dividing the nation along the religious lines.

BJI's student wing, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), has been instrumental in digital and on-the-ground campaigns to target youth. Last month, ICS swept the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU) elections, marking the first time since 1971 that an Islamist student group gained control of the union. ICS backed United Students' Alliance panel won 23 of the 28 posts, including all three top positions. A recent report highlighted Shibir's use of social media and strategic rebranding, including featuring non-Muslim and hijab-free female candidates during the recent student election, to appear more inclusive and politically savvy. Moreover, the party produces digital content in English, allowing it to reach a broader audience and the Bangladeshi diaspora, which closely follows political developments back home.

The party's increased social media activity has allowed it to play a significant role in the topsy-turvy political landscape of Bangladesh. For instance, BJI and its allies were active in cyberspace during the mass protests in July and August 2024, which ultimately led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government. This activity demonstrates its ability to use digital platforms to organise and incite public opinion.

In Bangladesh, every public university is under the control of BJI. From admission to educational courses, the social media pages of these universities guide students. They are now also actively spreading BJI's perception.

The social media platforms significantly shape public narratives, often through the use of algorithms and bot accounts. Usually, Sadiqur Rahman Khan operates the bot id from the Jamaat side. Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam of National Citizen's Party (NCP) regularly share posts of Sadiqur. Digital platforms decide which topics are classified as "trending" or "popular". This gives them immense power to amplify certain stories and issues while allowing others to disappear without a trace. Both good and bad narratives are noticeable, that can be agenda-driven to achieve a specific outcome regardless of the truth.

Constant pressure from the US/West has led BJI to adopt a more moderate stance and remove hardline Islamist symbols. Besides, by shedding its extremist image, BJI hopes to secure funding from the Bangladeshi diaspora in Europe, West Asia, and Malaysia without triggering international terror-financing scrutiny. BJI's calculated exercise in rebranding itself with the help of external players is a cause of concern for India. These cosmetic changes cannot erase BJI’s negative historical role.

It is noteworthy to mention that Muhammad Yunus had helped BJI and other radical Islamist parties to consolidate his power as Chief Advisor. Following his rise to power in August 2024, the interim administration lifted bans on BJI and ICS besides also releasing top BJI leader convicted of war crimes.

(The writer is an expert on South Asia and Eurasia. He was formerly with Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Views expressed are personal)

--IANS

/as