Seat Talks Begin as Islami Andolan Skips Alliance Briefing

Uncertainty emerged within the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance as Islami Andolan Bangladesh did not send any representative to the alliance’s press conference on seat sharing held on Wednesday night (15 January).

Confirming the absence, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, central publicity and dawah secretary of Islami Andolan Bangladesh, said the party would not be represented at the briefing scheduled for the evening.

The press conference, slated to begin at 8:00pm, eventually started around 8:40pm at the Institution of Diploma Engineers in Dhaka.

Meanwhile, alliance sources said Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and nine of its allied parties have reached a seat-sharing agreement covering 250 parliamentary constituencies, with the remaining 50 seats kept aside for Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

A central leader of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, speaking on condition of anonymity, said an emergency meeting held earlier in the day at Jamaat’s central office finalised the distribution of 250 seats among the 10 parties, excluding Islami Andolan Bangladesh.

According to the leader, the Jamaat-led alliance is set to formally announce its candidates for those constituencies at the press conference.

The remaining 50 seats have been reserved for Islami Andolan Bangladesh, the leader said, adding that the party has reportedly demanded at least 70 seats. Talks are continuing as Jamaat-e-Islami and its allies seek to keep Islami Andolan Bangladesh within the alliance.