Jamaat in trouble due to three pressures

For the first time in history, Jamaat-e-Islami has secured the position of the main opposition party in parliament. The party had never even been the second or third largest party before. However, the joy of such achievement did not last long. Within months of taking the opposition seat, Jamaat has come under pressure due to a series of controversies.

While the party has gained political importance in its new role, public expectations and scrutiny have also increased. The party is now in a difficult position due to a three-pronged pressure: the video scandal involving its Member of Parliament (MP), nepotism in government allocations, and a rift in alliance politics.

Analysts say that the "unprepared" Jamaat is struggling to handle the pressure of the opposition. The central leadership is taking a tough stance to control the situation. The party's Ameer has declared that no one will be given concessions on matters about morality. His message to leaders is that stains are more visible on white cloth, so everyone must be extremely vigilant.

Multiple leaders at the policy-making level told Agamir Somoy that while they view recent events as isolated, if they take a continuous form, they could damage the party's long-standing "moral and transparent" political image. Hence, the central leadership is taking a tougher stance than ever before.

The biggest blow came over the Jamaat MP from Satkhira-4 constituency, Gazi Nazrul Islam. After a video of his intimate moments with a young woman spread on social media, the party faced intense criticism. Citing the act as contrary to ideological and organizational discipline, he was expelled from the party. This is the first time such a major sex scandal involving a party leader has become public in Jamaat's politics, drawing angry reactions from grassroots activists.

Multiple responsible leaders of Jamaat said that the controversy surrounding Gazi Nazrul Islam has had a significant negative impact on the party's image. As a result, rather than viewing it as just a personal matter, they are now reviewing its legal, organizational, and political aspects.

Earlier, allegations of nepotism and irregularities against some Jamaat MPs in distributing government grants and relief also put the party in discomfort. Following this, a written directives signed by the party's Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar was sent to all MPs. It instructed them not to make any recommendations or allocations for family members, relatives, in-laws, personal assistants (PAs), personal secretaries (PSs), or their relatives when providing government grants, relief, or financial assistance.

The party has also begun showing strictness at the local level. Organizational action has been taken against several leaders and activists over allegations of irregularities in distributing government allocations, violating party discipline, and moral lapses. Another new challenge has emerged in the form of alliance politics. After Hefazat-e-Islam initiated discussions on forming a new Qawmi-based political alliance, the Khilafat Majlis has left the 11-party alliance. Sources say there is also uncertainty over whether several other parties will remain in this alliance. As a result, Jamaat is facing new pressure in the political equation outside parliament as well. Some leaders believe there is a planned effort to deliberately pull Qawmi-oriented parties out of their-led alliance. Jamaat leaders say that alongside anti-government politics, the party now has to simultaneously manage four fronts: parliament, public representatives, alliances, and public expectations. Earlier, they were engaged in movement-based politics, but now, in presenting themselves as an alternative force for state governance, they are confronting new realities. One leader said that at a recently held Rukon (central council) conference, the Jamaat Ameer gave a clear message to the party leaders, warning that no conduct of any public representative or leader should question the party's ideology or public trust. At that conference, the Jamaat Ameer told leaders and workers: "Very careful! On matters of morality, there is no concession in Jamaat-e-Islami."

A top-level leader of Jamaat told Agamir Somoy, "After becoming the main opposition party, public expectations have risen greatly. Incidents that might be considered minor for other parties become major controversies for us. We have been embarrassed by some incidents, and the Gazi Nazrul incident, in particular, has created the biggest image crisis for the party."

The party's Naib-e-Ameer and MP from Rajshahi-1, Mujibur Rahman, said recent events are politically uncomfortable for the party. Therefore, elected representatives have been instructed to perform their duties with greater caution to maintain public trust and the organization's moral standing. Jamaat's Assistant Secretary General and head of the media department, Ehsanul Mahbub Jubayer, also said that strict central directives have already been issued to avoid any kind of irregularities or controversies in the future.

Political analyst Dr. Ainul Islam said, "Jamaat has become a major parliamentary force for the first time. As a result, every move of theirs is now under public scrutiny. The party is being tested on organizational discipline, political maturity, and the ability to make quick decisions to handle this pressure."