Jamaat Spent Tk 45 Million in the National Election
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh spent Tk 45 million (Tk 4.5 crore) in the 13th Jatiya Sangsad election. The expenditure covered 225 candidates fielded by the party. The detailed election expense statement was submitted on Tuesday to Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmed.
Jamaat had nominated candidates in 227 constituencies in the election. Under the Representation of the People Order, the party was allowed to spend up to Tk 45 million, which it says it has complied with.
The 13th parliamentary election was held on 12 February, with 50 political parties participating. The gazette of the election results was published the following day. According to the law, political parties are required to submit their election expenditure statements within 90 days of the gazette publication.
A two-member Jamaat delegation went to the Election Commission building to submit the accounts. One of the delegates was Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer.
“We have submitted Jamaat’s election expenditure report to the EC secretary. The legally permitted spending limit was Tk 45 million, and our total expenditure stands at that level,” he said. “Of this amount, Tk 40 million was distributed as donations to candidates, while the remaining funds were spent on various campaign-related activities.”
According to the expenditure statement signed by Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar, the party’s total election spending amounted to Tk 44,947,972. Of this, Tk 40 million was provided to 225 candidates as donations—meaning each candidate received on average between Tk 150,000 and Tk 200,000.
The party reported spending on designing and printing its election manifesto, organizing press conferences, hospitality, transportation of campaign materials, travel by central leaders, and advertising at the ICC.
Jamaat said it spent Tk 2,090,827 on election campaigning, Tk 8,700 on transportation, Tk 1,417,599 on public rallies and travel, Tk 285,902 on staff costs, and Tk 944,944 on accommodation and administrative expenses. An additional Tk 200,000 was shown as miscellaneous expenditure.
After its registration was cancelled in 2013, Jamaat did not participate in the 10th, 11th, and 12th parliamentary elections. Following the July mass uprising and during the interim government period, the party regained its registration by court order. In the 13th parliamentary election, Jamaat won 68 seats.
In its most recent audit report submitted to the Election Commission last year, Jamaat reported an income of Tk 289,729,900 in 2024 against expenditures of Tk 237,338,177.
