The move is seen as an effort to send a clear political signal. The main objective appears to be keeping doubts alive over the election results while placing the government under sustained political pressure. At the same time, Jamaat is trying to strengthen its position on various issues both inside and outside parliament.

To understand Jamaat’s post-election strategy, Prothom Alo spoke with two members of the party’s central executive council and one member of its parliamentary election management committee. According to them, the party intends to continue legal efforts to keep the election issue active.

Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair told Prothom Alo that, beyond the constituencies already challenged at the Election Commission, candidates may also approach the courts if sufficient evidence emerges. This could increase the number of seats where results are contested.

Controversy over two former advisers

As part of its effort to intensify the debate over the election, Jamaat has also raised questions about the roles of two former advisers to the interim government—Syeda Rizwana Hasan and Khalilur Rahman. Referring to remarks made by Rizwana Hasan in a television interview, the party has alleged irregularities in the election. It has also questioned the appointment of Khalilur Rahman as foreign minister under a BNP-led government.

Jamaat claims that Rahman’s inclusion in the cabinet was effectively a “reward” for allegedly favoring BNP during the interim administration.

On March 5, the party held a press conference demanding that both former advisers be brought under legal scrutiny, questioned, and tried. It also accused them of involvement in “election engineering.” Since then, party leaders have repeatedly raised the issue in public statements.

Although Jamaat leaders have highlighted these two individuals, they say they do not intend to blame the entire advisory council of the interim government. Instead, they argue that questions exist regarding the neutrality of certain individuals—more than just the two already mentioned—but they are not yet ready to disclose additional names.

Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman first addressed the matter publicly on March 9 during an iftar event in the capital. He stated that the party had never sought the victory of any specific political group, but rather the victory of the people. According to him, that expectation was not fulfilled, and voting rights were violated. He added that the truth is gradually becoming clear and that public judgment will ultimately prevail.

Two days after the election, on February 15, an 11-party electoral alliance submitted an application to the Election Commission seeking recounts in 32 constituencies. Among these, Jamaat had candidates in 25 seats, while others included the National Citizens Party, Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and the Liberal Democratic Party.

Senior Jamaat leaders say the party wants to keep discussions alive about the alleged controversial role of the two former advisers. However, they emphasize that their criticism is targeted, not directed at the entire interim government.

Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar told Prothom Alo on March 6 that, for now, the party is focusing on demanding an investigation into the two individuals. He said interrogation is necessary to properly examine the allegations and determine whether the process will be conducted by the government or through a judicial inquiry.

Jamaat leaders believe that irregularities occurred in the parliamentary election, particularly in vote counting. They say they are continuing to protest through lawful means, though they are not yet planning to take a more aggressive stance on the streets.