Dhaka, Jan 14 With Bangladesh gearing up for the February 12 general elections, cracks have begun to surface within the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, as disagreements over seat-sharing continue to intensify despite a deadline to finalise the arrangement, local media reported on Wednesday.
Citing sources, Bangladesh’s leading Bengali daily, Prothom Alo, reported that eight out of the 11 alliance partners have reached a seat-sharing agreement with Jamaat, while the Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis remain undecided.
Report suggests that multiple party insiders stated that the Islami Andolan, which has been negotiating a seat-sharing arrangement, had initially sought to contest elections in more than a hundred seats.
Following discussions, the party has gradually reduced its demand for seats, with its latest position standing at more than 50 seats.
However, Jamaat’s offer for 40 seats has created dissatisfaction within the Islami Andolan. While some leaders are willing to compromise on 40 to 45 seats, another section believes that the deal should be reconsidered if their demands are not met.
Meanwhile, several leaders of the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis said that they held talks with Jamaat on Monday. But disagreement over seat sharing persists as Jamaat is unwilling to meet their demands.
Speaking to Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity, a central committee leader of the Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis said that their party is seeking 25 to 30 seats, while Jamaat is offering a maximum of 20 seats.
He added that if they do not get the desired seats, their party intends to keep candidates open in the seats where no agreement is reached.
According to local media reports, Jamaat and Islami Andolan -- two of the largest Islamist groups in the country -- had been engaged in talks for over three months to consolidate Islamist votes under an alliance of eight predominantly Islamist parties.
Despite extended negotiations, the talks failed just short of the December 29, 2025, nomination deadline, prompting both parties to submit nominations in hundreds of seats, triggering turmoil within the alliance, Bangladesh's leading newspaper, The Daily Star, reported.
According to the Election Commission data, Jamaat filed nominations in 276 seats on the final day, while Islami Andolan submitted nomination papers in 268 seats.
Bangladesh’s elections, scheduled for February 12, are unfolding amid escalating political tensions, with rifts widening across party lines.
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