Jamaat Vying For Relevance Ahead Of Bangladesh Polls With Diplomatic Push, Street Violence?

Last Updated:January 15, 2026, 15:08 IST

Sources say the timing and frequency of Jamaat chief's engagements coincided with a spike in communal violence, including targeted killings of Hindus in Bangladesh.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen meets Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman.

A series of high-level meetings held by Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh chief Shafiqur Rahman in early January 2026 are part of a broader strategy to project the party as an indispensable force in Bangladesh’s political future — both to domestic power centres and the international community, top intelligence sources have told CNN-News18.

According to top intelligence inputs, Rahman held at least six to seven confirmed meetings in the first two weeks of January, marking a sharp increase compared to previous months. The outreach focused heavily on Western diplomatic missions, the European Union, Germany, China, and key political stakeholders in Pakistan. Sources say the timing and frequency of these engagements coincided with a spike in communal violence, including targeted killings of Hindus during the ongoing election period.

On January 7, Rahman met a three-member European Union delegation led by Paola Pampaloni of the European External Action Service, along with EU Ambassador Michael Miller. This was followed by a January 12 meeting with Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen and a January 13 breakfast meeting with German Ambassador Dr Rüdiger Lotz. Earlier, he met BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman on January 1 and Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Niaz Ahmed Khan on January 6.

Sources assess that Rahman’s core messaging to foreign diplomats sought to portray the violence as spontaneous unrest rather than orchestrated attacks, while positioning Jamaat as a stabilising counterweight to rival political forces. He reportedly alleged that India’s regional influence was destabilising Bangladesh, seeking international tolerance — if not acceptance — of Jamaat as a balancing force.

Parallel to diplomatic outreach, intelligence agencies have flagged Rahman’s closed-door meetings with radicalised youth groups. During these interactions, he allegedly framed New Delhi as the primary obstacle to Bangladesh’s emergence as an Islamic nation. The same youth groups, according to sources, later pledged to engage in street violence aimed at “purifying" the country.

Additionally, Rahman is said to have engaged ex-army veterans to secure voter mobilisation through intimidation rather than persuasion, reinforcing Jamaat’s capacity for controlled disruption.

Intelligence assessments conclude that Jamaat-e-Islami is currently operating on three coordinated fronts: orchestrated street violence, diplomatic engagement to seek external legitimacy, and efforts to maintain influence within institutional structures. The recent unrest, sources say, is not aimed at immediate regime change but at demonstrating Jamaat’s street muscle — sending a clear message: exclusion will bring instability, inclusion will bring control.

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