Islamist groups, led by Jamaat-e-Islami, are regrouping ahead of Bangladesh’s February 12, 2026, election after years of repression.

After years of persecution under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Islamist organizations, especially Jamaat-e-Islami, are reorganizing ahead of Bangladesh's elections on February 12, 2026, marking their strongest political push in decades. The Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated party is in charge of a coalition that includes student-led organizations from the 2024 rebellion that overthrew Hasina as well as other Islamist factions. Islamist leaders have been freed since her removal, and organizations have become more aggressive, advocating for cultural limitations and attacking Sufi customs. Under the leadership of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, the interim administration has adopted neoliberal reforms, lifted the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, and sided with Islamist parties. With worries about growing violence, unstable economies, and the decline of secularism, the political environment is still unstable. The election, which is regarded as the biggest democratic process of 2026, will decide whether Bangladesh can move toward a more inclusive democracy or experience widening rifts.