The parallel nationwide protest programmes announced by several Islamist political parties have injected new tension into the country’s already unsettled political arena, marking the first coordinated mobilisation since the fall of the previous fascist Awami League regime on 5 August 2024 amid a mass uprising.

Although anti-fascist forces stood shoulder to shoulder during the July uprising, cracks are now evident over core issues such as the model of the next general election, the July Charter’s implementation, and the pace of reforms.

Against this backdrop, the BNP leadership has resolved to exercise restraint, observing developments closely while avoiding any counteraction against the Islamist bloc.

According to party insiders, BNP’s high command has instructed grassroots activists to stay calm, steer clear of confrontation, and monitor events with patience as the situation unfolds.

Islamist parties unveil parallel programme

At least seven Islamist outfits are set to launch a joint movement from Thursday to push a raft of demands, chief among them the introduction of proportional representation (PR) in parliamentary elections.

On Monday, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the two Khelafat Majlish factions led by Abdul Basit Azad and Mamunul Haque declared their action programmes, calling for the next general election under the PR system and for banning the Jatiya Party (JaPa) and Awami League’s 14-party allies.

Separately, the Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (JAGPA), Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan on Tuesday announced a series of protests.

Vice-president and spokesperson Rashed Pradhan told a press conference on Tuesday that JAGPA would stage a procession in Dhaka on tomorrow, mass contact campaigns in divisional cities on 19 September, and district-level protests on 26 September.

Meanwhile, reading from a written statement, Bangladesh Nezam-e-Islam Party Secretary General Musa Bin Izhar announced at a press conference at the party’s central office on Tuesday a three-day programme alongside five demands, including granting legal recognition to the July Charter.

The other demands include banning political activities of the Jatiya Party and 14 allied parties, putting fascists and their cohorts on trial for massacres, ensuring a level playing field in the next election, and scrapping the notification for appointing music teachers in primary schools.

The three-day programme will feature protests in Dhaka tomorrow, in divisional cities on 19 September, and across districts and upazilas on 26 September.

The Nezam-e-Islam Party described its demands and programme as a movement to safeguard the country’s independence, sovereignty, Islam, and national security. Senior leaders present included Nayeb Ameer Maulana Abdul Majed, Organising Secretary Maulana Abu Taher, Publicity Secretary Maulana Abdullah Al Masud, Office Secretary Mufti Deen Alam Haruni, among others.

Meanwhile, addressing a press conference at Markazul Khelafat Madrasa in Kamrangirchar on Tuesday, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan Ameer Maulana Habibullah Miyaji announced a separate three-day programme to press home a seven-point demand.

Present at the briefing were Secretary General Maulana Yusuf Sadiq, Nayeb Ameer Maulana Mujibur Rahman, Joint Secretary General Maulana Sanaullah, Organising Secretary Maulana Sultan Mohiuddin, along with other central leaders.

According to their announcement, a protest rally will be staged in front of the Jatiya Press Club tomorrow, followed by demonstrations in divisional cities on 19 September, and protest processions in districts and upazilas nationwide on 26 September.

The party’s seven-point demand includes holding the national election under the July Charter, empowering the army with magistracy authority during the polls, ensuring equal opportunities for all parties, putting on trial those responsible for the Shapla Chattar and July uprising massacres, granting state recognition to Shapla Chattar martyrs and providing treatment for the injured, repatriating money laundered abroad, and cancelling the recruitment of dance and music teachers in primary schools in favour of appointing religious teachers.

Amid the growing demands to ban the JaPa, a complaint was lodged with the officer-in-charge (OC) of Ramna police station on Tuesday to register it as an attempt-to-murder case against 18 senior JaPa leaders, including Chairman JM Quader, General Secretary Barrister Shameem Haider Patwary, and Presidium Member Hazi Saifuddin Ahmed Milon.

Around 100-150 unknown leaders and activists were also named in the complaint, filed over an attack on Gono Odhikar Parishad activists, including its President Nurul Haque Nur, on 29 August in front of JaPa’s central office at Kakrail, Dhaka.

Analysts warn of new fault lines

Political analysts say the Islamist-led drive has stoked confusion around the general election scheduled for February 2026 and threatens to open rifts among groups that spent nearly 15 years resisting Awami League rule.

They warn that the former ruling party could exploit such fissures to foment unrest.

BNP leaders share similar suspicions. Speaking to the Daily Sun, standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain alleged that the PR campaign might be a pretext to delay the polls.

“Since this interim government has no authority to introduce such PR system in election, it has been clear that foiling the next national election is the motive behind the movement of very few parties for the PR system,” he said.

Mosharraf stressed that BNP is preparing to contest the February polls and sees it as the government’s responsibility to clarify to protesters that a PR system cannot be introduced without a sitting parliament.

BNP’s cautious stance

The BNP’s Standing Committee held an emergency meeting on Monday night, reviewing the Islamist mobilisation and broader political situation.

The party decided against confrontation but resolved to remain alert while pressing ahead with its electoral preparations.

One senior BNP leader, requesting anonymity, said the party’s next phase of activity would centre on promotional campaigns rolled out nationwide – from the central command down to union and ward levels.

Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, indirectly addressing the Islamist demand for PR, remarked, “Doing anything in the state without acquiring people’s mandate will disrupt the country’s democracy. Every political party must seek its mandate from the people. Without public support, any attempt to act will undermine democracy.”

Another Standing Committee member of the party, Salahuddin Ahmed, on Tuesday warned that going against national interest to seek PR system for the sake of securing a few parliamentary seats would bring “terrible consequences”.

“BNP is not in favour of PR. On the other hand, several parties have taken a position in favour of it. But we oppose PR in every forum, be it the upper or lower house,” he said while speaking to journalists at his residence in the capital’s Gulshan.

Regarding the demand to ban the 14-party alliance, Salahuddin Ahmed said, “We do not support banning any political party through an executive order.”

When asked if there is a possibility of delaying the upcoming national election, Salahuddin replied, “Any political manoeuvre aimed at delaying or obstructing the election will be rejected by the people of this country.”

Party officials added that BNP wishes to avoid any flare-up that could derail commerce, daily life, or the broader democratic process.

They accused “a vested group” of trying to destabilise the country with manufactured issues but stressed that BNP would respond with patience ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections.

The leadership has also pledged full cooperation with the interim government while instructing members to stay close to communities to build voter trust.

When asked whether such initiatives risk deepening divisions among the anti-fascist bloc, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar told the Daily Sun, “We are different political parties; we may have different stance and opinion in different issues including election and reform issues.

However, all the anti-fascist political parties are united about the spirit of July uprising. We believe the Awami League can’t take chance of any division among the anti-fascist parties.”

He further noted that parties supporting the PR model had already begun aligning around this movement.

Charter debate lingers

A senior BNP leader said the party remains committed to Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’s pledge of a free, festive, and historic election.

He confirmed BNP’s readiness to sign the July Charter once its internal review is finalised.

“We have prepared our party’s opinion of about 40 pages on this issue,” he said, adding that BNP wants constitutional amendments via parliament to implement the charter.

“If there is no consensus on the method, then it may be left to the government.”

The National Consensus Commission, tasked with resolving disputes over the charter, completed its second extended term on Monday without agreement on key questions – most notably, how the Charter should be implemented.

Later that night, the government extended the commission’s mandate by another month.

Analysts weigh in

Dhaka University political scientist Prof Sabbir Ahmed suggested that the Islamist initiative was partly a strategic show of strength.

“I believe the Islamic parties are forging the movement actually to expose them as strong political force in the country. They want to make BNP understand that they are strong political counterparts who cannot be ignored,” he told the Daily Sun.

Ahmed warned, however, that if divisions deepen among anti-fascist groups, “the situation will get worse.” Yet he maintained that most remain united in spirit against authoritarianism.

The reporter can be reached at: [email protected]

Edited by M Munir Hossain