Shafiqur Rahman, long on the margins of Bangladeshi politics, is now a leading contender for prime minister. His image has appeared on posters and billboards across Dhaka, signaling the country’s first potential Jamaat‑e‑Islami‑led government.
The 67-year-old doctor and JI chief has risen from near obscurity to become a serious candidate. Rahman leads a JI coalition expected to challenge the Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the upcoming general election on February 12.
The election follows a Gen Z-led uprising that ousted former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Opinion polls indicate that Jamaat‑e‑Islami, once banned and forced underground, is poised for its strongest performance to date.
Under Hasina, the party faced severe restrictions, including imprisonment of top leaders, death sentences for some, and an official ban. Rahman himself was arrested in 2022 and jailed for 15 months.
The 2024 uprising shifted the political landscape. After Hasina fled to India, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus eased restrictions on JI. In 2025, the ban was lifted, allowing the party to operate openly again.
“We tried to raise our voice, but repeatedly it was suppressed,” Rahman said. “After the uprising, we got a chance to come again to the surface.”
Born in 1958 in Moulvibazar, Rahman began his political journey in a leftist student organization before joining Islami Chhatra Shibir, JI’s student wing. He formally joined JI in 1984 and unsuccessfully contested national elections in 1996, 2001, and 2018. Rahman became party chief in 2020.
Rahman’s family is also professionally accomplished. His wife, Amina Begum, served in parliament in 2018. Both daughters and a son are doctors, and Rahman founded a hospital in Sylhet. JI describes him as humble, disciplined, and approachable.
Political analysts say Rahman capitalized on the post-uprising vacuum. “There was no visible leader in Bangladesh,” noted Dhaka University professor Shafi Md Mostafa. Rahman traveled nationwide, gained media attention, and became a frontrunner within two years.
On the campaign trail, Rahman emphasizes governance, anti-corruption, and social justice. His speeches present JI as a clean, moral alternative guided by Islamic values. In December, JI allied with the Gen Z National Citizen Party, broadening appeal among younger voters.
Rahman positions himself as a moderate voice within JI. He stresses equal treatment for all religions while remaining grounded in Islamic principles. “We are moderate, flexible, and reasonable,” he said. “Our principles are based on Islamic and Quranic values applicable to all creation.”
In conclusion, Jamaat‑e‑Islami’s resurgence under Shafiqur Rahman reflects Bangladesh’s changing political landscape. The February 12 elections will test the party’s popularity and Rahman’s leadership on a national stage.
