Dhaka, Jan 28 (NationPress) Even though the radical Islamist party Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh occasionally suggests it will not enforce Shariah law if it gains power, its leaders, including candidates for the upcoming general elections on February 12, openly push for the establishment of Shariah law during television discussions. Additionally, at the grassroots level, mid- and lower-tier leaders rally support for the Jamaat electoral symbol 'daripalla' (balance scale) as a religious obligation, with some even referring to it as a “ticket to paradise,” according to a report released on Wednesday.

As reported by the prominent Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, this presents a stark contradiction: while Jamaat claims it will not enact Shariah, the narrative advocating for it is being actively disseminated among supporters.

“Jamaat-e-Islami is caught in a significant political quandary. The very presence of the word ‘Islam’ in its name, coupled with its longstanding campaign under the banner ‘We want Allah’s law,’ leads a faction of its core base to support Jamaat in the hope of realizing Islamic Shariah. Simultaneously, Jamaat seems aware that pursuing state power renders the politics of Shariah implementation counterproductive,” the report outlined.

The report highlighted that this indicates “strategic ambiguity,” a tactic Jamaat has adopted as elections approach. Instead of clarifying its position, Jamaat aims to uphold both narratives at once—a practice that should be deemed unacceptable.

“Choosing to vote for Jamaat instead of the BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) is fundamentally different from voting for the BNP over the Awami League and vice versa. There are crucial ideological disparities involved. Jamaat’s ameer must clearly and publicly declare whether Jamaat-e-Islami intends to implement Islamic Shariah if it attains power. If so, a transparent framework for what that Shariah would encompass must also be presented,” the report stated.

It emphasized that if Jamaat or any other “Islamic” party in Bangladesh announces intentions to establish Shariah, it raises the question of whether such a party can legitimately engage in politics under the current constitutional framework.

The report concluded, “As the election nears, Jamaat must promptly clarify its position on Shariah to empower voters to make an ‘informed decision’ during the election process. Jamaat’s leadership should acknowledge that its strategic ambiguity regarding this issue directly contradicts its well-known slogan, ‘We want the rule of honest people,’ and amounts to, quite simply, duplicity (munafiqi, in religious terms).”