POBNEWS24, Dhaka, Feb 10, 2026 : Shafiqur Rahman, who has long been on the fringes of Bangladeshi politics, is now at the center of the discussion. His bearded face and white clothes adorn posters and billboards in Dhaka, urging voters to vote for the country’s first Islamist-led government in Thursday’s election. The 67-year-old physician and Jamaat-e-Islami leader has gone from being a near-unknown figure to a strong contender for the prime minister’s post in a short period of time.
Bangladesh is set to hold a highly anticipated parliamentary election on February 12. It is the country’s first since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was toppled in a Gen Z-led uprising in 2024. An estimated 91 percent of Bangladesh’s 175 million people are Muslims, making it one of the world’s largest Muslim-majority countries. Although Islam is the state religion, the country’s constitution stipulates secularism.
Opinion polls suggest that Jamaat-e-Islami, once banned and accused of opposing the 1971 liberation war, is on track for its strongest showing in its history. The prospect is likely to raise concerns among moderates and minorities.
Sheikh Hasina’s rule saw a crackdown on Islamist parties. Top Jamaat leaders were jailed, some were sentenced to death for war crimes in 1971, and the party was banned and effectively sent underground. Shafiqur Rahman himself was arrested in 2022 on charges of aiding members of a banned terrorist organization and served 15 months in prison.
But the 2024 uprising changed the fortunes of Jamaat and Shafiqur Rahman. Within days of Sheikh Hasina fleeing to India in August of that year, the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus eased restrictions on Jamaat. In 2025, the court lifted the ban on the party, which had been meeting in secret for a long time, and returned to open politics.
Jamaat quickly reorganized. It began charitable activities and flood relief efforts. Shafiqur Rahman, dressed in white and sporting a white beard, became a highly visible figure through these activities. In an interview with Pobnews24 earlier this year, he said, “We tried to raise our voice, but it was repeatedly suppressed. (After the mass uprising) we got the opportunity to come forward again.”
Born in 1958 in the northeastern Moulvibazar district, Shafiqur Rahman’s political career began in a leftist student organization. He later joined Jamaat’s student organization, Islami Chhatra Shibir. After formally joining Jamaat-e-Islami in 1984, he participated in the national elections of 1996, 2001 and 2018 but failed to win. He was later elected as the party’s ameer in 2020.
His wife, Amina Begum, was a member of parliament in 2018 and is also a doctor. Their two daughters and a son are also doctors. Shafiqur Rahman is currently the founding chairman of a family-owned hospital in the northeastern Sylhet district.
Many in Dhaka say they hardly knew his full name during Sheikh Hasina’s rule. This is a big difference from her main rival and BNP leader Tarique Rahman. Tarique Rahman, the son of former prime minister Khaleda Zia and former president Ziaur Rahman, is currently vying for the top post. Notably, the two ‘Rahmans’ are not related.
Jamaat portrays their leader as a humble and sincere man who lives a disciplined and restrained life based on simplicity and a simple life.
Analysts say Shafiqur Rahman has exploited the political vacuum created after the uprising. “There was no visible leader in Bangladesh for a month after the uprising,” said Dhaka University professor Shafi Mohammad Mostafa. Tarique Rahman was in exile in London at the time. Shafiqur Rahman has toured the country, garnered media attention and in just two years has become a leading candidate.’
His campaign rhetoric has resonated with many voters. He has presented Jamaat as a clean and moral alternative based on Islamic values. Last December, the party formed an alliance with the Gen Z-backed National Citizens Party (NCP), which has boosted its popularity among young and less conservative voters.
Meanwhile, posters inspired by ‘Game of Thrones’ have been appearing across the country, with the words ‘Dadu is coming’ next to Shafiqur Rahman’s picture. Some see Shafiqur Rahman as the more moderate face of Jamaat. He is emphasizing good governance, anti-corruption stance and social justice to soften the party’s image. He has also promised equal treatment for people of all religions.
However, his statements on women have also created controversy. The party has not fielded any female candidates. Shafiqur Rahman has said that women should not work more than five hours a day so that they can prioritize family responsibilities. Recently, a post from his social media account said that pushing women out of the house in the name of modernity is a form of “prostitution.” This comment has drawn protests from many quarters. However, Jamaat claims that the social media account was hacked.
Explaining his position, Shafiqur Rahman said, “We are flexible, we are reasonable. The basis of our policy is Islamic values, the values of the Quran. The Quran is not just for Muslims, it is for the entire creation.”
According to the latest data, the total number of voters in Bangladesh in the 13th National Parliament elections on Thursday was 127.711,899. Female voters, 6,28,85,525, Male voters, 6,48,25,154
Third gender (Hijra) voters, 1,220. More than 5 million (50 lakh) new voters will vote for the first time in this election. This is the first time that about 15 million (15 crore) expatriate Bangladeshis are being given the opportunity to vote through postal ballot. The highest number of voters is in Gazipur-2 constituency (8 lakh 4 thousand 333 people) and the lowest number of voters is in Jhalokati-1 constituency (2 lakh 28 thousand 431 people).
Voting will be held in a total of 42,766 permanent polling stations across the country. Out of these, 17,556 are risky centers, 8,746 are very risky centers Total (risky and very risky) centers are 26,302.
