Islam, Islamism, and Democracy in Bangladesh

What is it about?

The chapter examines the role of the organized Islam-based political parties in the interplay of Islamism and democracy in Bangladesh. We will critically investigate to what extent the mainstream Islamist political parties in Bangladesh (e.g., Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Islami Oikya Jote, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, and Zaker Party) have tension or congruence with democracy. Most of these parties however historically engaged in competition and mobilization, contested elections aiming to attain power through constitutional means, albeit with minimal success. These mainstream Islamist parties consistently oppose violence and terrorism. We will also discuss a few fringe violent Islamist parties, already banned in Bangladesh, including Jamaatul Mujahedeen Bangladesh (JMB), Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh (JMJB), Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJi), and Ansarullah Bangla Team. These parties oppose democracy and resort to violence to establish what they call a “pure Islamic polity.” They perceive democracy as kufr (unbelief) and a source of polytheism.

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Photo by Arnaud Jaegers on Unsplash

Photo by Arnaud Jaegers on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The intersection and interplay between Islam, Islamism and democracy in Bangladesh.

Perspectives