In the run-up to Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami have escalated their political rhetoric, centering their campaigns on contrasting historical narratives. BNP, led by Chairperson Tarique Rahman, has made the 1971 Liberation War the core of its election message, using it to criticize Jamaat’s wartime role. Rahman, recently returned from exile, has highlighted the Liberation War in multiple rallies across the country, portraying it as a moral foundation for the nation and warning against those who opposed independence. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has echoed this stance, accusing Jamaat of trying to regain political influence despite its past opposition to independence.

In contrast, Jamaat-e-Islami has focused its campaign on the July Uprising that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, presenting it as a movement for democracy and justice. Party leaders, including Amir Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, have pledged to continue the struggle for a corruption-free and equitable Bangladesh. Jamaat leaders have also criticized BNP for politically exploiting the Liberation War issue, calling such accusations baseless and politically motivated.

The competing narratives underscore a deep ideological divide, with BNP emphasizing historical legitimacy through the Liberation War and Jamaat seeking to redefine its identity through the July Uprising.