Bangladesh Election: Islamists Eye Power Amidst Tight Race

• Bangladesh prepares for a historic election tomorrow, the first since Sheikh Hasina's government was overthrown in August 2024.
• The election is largely a two-way race between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami, with Jamaat leading a coalition of nearly a dozen parties.
• Jamaat-e-Islami, founded in 1941, seeks to organize the state under Islamic principles (Sharia law) and has seen a resurgence due to its anti-corruption image.
• The party was banned in 1972, reinstated in 1979, and faced severe crackdowns under Sheikh Hasina, but has gained popularity since her regime's fall.
• Polls suggest a close contest, with a significant portion of voters remaining undecided, and concerns rising among liberals about Jamaat's potential rise.