New Delhi, Jan 1 (NationPress) Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has made a call to members of the former ruling Awami League to join their party, offering to take "full responsibility" for its leaders and activists, who are currently barred from participating in the general election scheduled for February 12, according to media reports.

"You will join our party from the Awami League, and we will take responsibility for you. Be it the jail, the police station, or any duty, we will handle it," stated Jamaat-e-Islami leader and former lawmaker Latifur Rahman in Madanmore, Chapai Nawabganj district, as reported by the Dhaka-based news site bdnews24.

This move appears to be a strategy to consolidate its support base, as Jamaat is participating in the upcoming elections as part of a coalition of ten parties, aiming for a comeback in the South Asian nation.

It is set to face competition from its former ally, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with whom Jamaat was previously affiliated in a government led by the recently deceased former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Jamaat has endured numerous bans and legal issues, starting with a restriction in 1972 for allegedly "misusing religion for political purposes".

Additionally, the last Awami League government, led by the now-exiled former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, instituted a ban due to Jamaat's perceived threat to public safety and its alleged pro-Pakistan stance during the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war.

Following the ouster of Hasina's government in 2024, the interim administration headed by Muhammad Yunus lifted the ban, allowing Jamaat's registration to be reinstated through a Supreme Court ruling.

Now, Jamaat is poised to participate in the February elections after nearly 17 years, marking a significant return to mainstream politics in Bangladesh.

According to bdnews24, Latifur Rahman also called on BNP supporters to join Jamaat, stating "your responsibilities will be ours" and adding, "Do not compare the current Jamaat with the old. Today, Jamaat is far stronger".

A previous report from Bangladesh’s Daily Observer noted that several leaders from the former ruling Awami League have shifted to other parties, including the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, following shifts in the political landscape after the fall of Hasina's government.

Reports indicate that Jamaat-e-Islami leaders were initially more cautious than the BNP in welcoming former Awami League members into their ranks.

While some local Jamaat officials claim to have "forgiven" the Awami League's past actions, they remain hesitant about granting leadership roles to outsiders.

Poll outcomes suggest that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is anticipated to finish closely behind the BNP in the February elections.

The political climate remains tumultuous following the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, characterized by significant unrest, including violence, protests, targeted assaults on minorities, and strained diplomatic ties with India.

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was one of six foreign dignitaries present at Khaleda Zia's funeral on Wednesday, where he delivered Prime Minister Narendra Modi's condolence letter to the deceased leader's son Tarique Rahman, who is the BNP's Acting Chairman.