Jamaat-e-Islami Reaches Out to China Ahead of Bangladesh Elections: Strategic Signals and Political Timing

In a politically significant development ahead of Bangladesh’s general elections, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen paid a courtesy visit to Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman at his Dhaka office on Monday. The meeting, which took place just weeks before voters head to the polls, has sparked renewed discussion about Beijing’s outreach to key political stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Ambassador Yao Wen was accompanied by Deputy Chief of Mission Liu Yuyin, Political Director Zhangjing, and several other senior Chinese officials. According to sources familiar with the discussions, both sides exchanged views on a wide range of issues of mutual interest, focusing on bilateral cooperation and future engagement between china and Bangladesh.

During the meeting, both delegations highlighted the historical depth of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Jamaat-e-Islami noted that the long-standing partnership between China and Bangladesh has played a meaningful role in improving economic opportunities and overall welfare for citizens of both nations.

The party also expressed optimism about the future trajectory of bilateral ties, stating that cooperation between Dhaka and Beijing is expected to grow stronger in the coming years. Jamaat leaders indicated that continued dialogue and engagement would be beneficial for regional stability and development.

The timing of the meeting has drawn particular attention, as it comes barely a month before Bangladesh’s national elections. Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting the polls in alliance with the youth-based National Citizens Party (NCP), which recently made headlines after securing victories in student elections at Jagannath University and playing a role in last year’s student-led movement that challenged the Sheikh Hasina government.

This is not the first instance of direct engagement between Jamaat-e-Islami and China in recent years. In 2024, the Chinese government invited a high-level Jamaat delegation led by Shafiqur Rahman to visit China. The visit marked the party’s second official engagement with Beijing since 2024 and was seen as an important diplomatic signal.

Speaking to Bangladeshi media outlet Jago News at the time, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Professor Mia Golam Parwar described the visit as “significant for both Jamaat and Bangladesh,” particularly as it coincided with the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh.

Prior to that visit, Ambassador Yao Wen and Shafiqur Rahman had also attended a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. The September 2024 delegation to China included fourteen members, among them leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, along with representatives from four other Islamic political parties.

Following those engagements, Ambassador Yao Wen publicly acknowledged that China had been largely unable to maintain communication with the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami during the previous decade. He attributed this gap to the political environment under the Sheikh Hasina government, adding that Beijing now saw it as an appropriate time to re-establish dialogue with all major political forces in Bangladesh.

As Bangladesh approaches a pivotal election, the renewed interaction between Jamaat-e-Islami and China underscores the broader geopolitical and diplomatic recalibrations taking place in the region, with external actors closely watching the country’s evolving political landscape.