The Islamist alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami is facing internal rifts ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election due to unresolved seat-sharing disputes. The main contention arises from the demands of Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, the Pir of Charmonai, whose Islami Andolon Bangladesh insists on more constituencies, claiming a strong nationwide voter base. Jamaat had agreed to leave 40 seats and even proposed keeping some open, but Charmonai rejected the offer, leading to repeated but fruitless negotiations.

Similarly, Maulana Mamunul Haque’s Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis is demanding more seats than initially agreed, creating further tension within the 11-party coalition. Attempts to finalize seat distribution and issue a joint declaration on Tuesday failed, leaving the alliance uncertain. Jamaat has refrained from nominating candidates in over a dozen constituencies contested by Charmonai and Mamunul’s parties, giving them leverage in negotiations.

The alliance, originally an eight-party Islamist bloc, expanded to 11 parties after the inclusion of NCP, LDP, and AB Party. This expansion reduced the influence of smaller Islamist groups, intensifying competition over seat allocation and raising the risk of a formal split.