Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has expressed concern over the recent political developments in Bangladesh after the massive victory of the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami in the Dhaka University elections.
Tharoor called the result a “worrying” that reflects the growing public frustration with established political parties in Bangladesh.
In a statement on social media, Tharoor stressed that voters are rapidly turning away from the two major parties, the now banned Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party, not because of religious extremism but because of widespread dissatisfaction with the corruption and misgovernance of these mainstream organisations.
“This may have registered as barely a blip on most Indian minds, but it is a worrying portent of things to come. There is an increasing sense of frustration in Bangladesh with both major parties — the (now banned) Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party. Those who wish “a plague on both your houses” are increasingly turning to the Jamaat-e-Islami, not because these voters are zealots or Islamist fundamentalists, but because the JeI are not tainted by the corruption and misgovernance associated, rightly or wrongly, with the two mainstream parties,” he said in a post on X.
Will New Delhi Be Dealing With Jamaat-Led Govt In Its Neighbour?
Tharoor warned that with general elections in Bangladesh scheduled for February 2026, India may soon face the challenge of adjusting to a Jamaat-led government in its neighbour.
“How will this play out in the Feb 2026 general elections? Will New Delhi be dealing with a Jamaat majority next door?” he said.
Dhaka University Election
The Jamaat-affiliated students secured a landslide victory at Dhaka University, winning nine out of the 12 student union posts, and received congratulatory messages from Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan.
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNPs) student wing, Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD), has accused the Jamaat-backed Islami Chhatra Shibir of rigging the Dhaka University elections.
Historically, students linked to the Jamaat have had limited presence at Dhaka University, an institution known for its association with Bengali nationalism and the 1971 liberation movement.
