Allama Shah Muhibullah Babunagari, the Ameer of Hefazat-e-Islam, has delivered a devastating appraisal of Jamaat-e-Islami’s parliamentary ambitions, predicting that the party will fail to secure a single seat in the forthcoming general election. Speaking as the chief guest at the “Shane Risalat Grand Conference” in Nagarkanda, Faridpur, on Saturday night, the influential cleric launched an uncompromising theological and political broadside against the country’s largest Islamist party. The event, convened by the Islami Jubo Somaj, became a theatre for Babunagari to distance the Deobandi-aligned Hefazat movement from the political ideology of Jamaat.
In a rhetoric-heavy address, Babunagari directed his criticism toward the doctrinal roots of Jamaat-e-Islami, specifically targeting the legacy of its founder, Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi. “Our understanding of Islam is fundamentally distinct from the Islam of Maududi,” he asserted, further claiming that “Jamaat’s interpretation does not constitute true Islam; only the Islam of Medina represents the authentic path.” This theological rift underscores the long-standing tension between the grassroots-focused Qawmi madrasa traditionalists and the more politically structured, reformist agenda of Jamaat-e-Islami.
The Hefazat chief also took aim at the strategic “Eight-Party Alliance” that Jamaat has recently forged with other religious entities, including Islami Andolan Bangladesh and Khelafat Majlis. Babunagari dismissed this coalition as a marriage of convenience, driven by a thirst for power rather than a commitment to faith. He argued that the alliance was formed solely to secure “seats and votes,” suggesting that such tactical maneuvering would ultimately fail to resonate with the pious electorate of Bangladesh.
Distinguished Clerics at the Nagarkanda Conference
| Name | Role / Affiliation |
| Allama Shah Muhibullah Babunagari | Ameer, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh |
| Allama Khalil Ahmed Quraishi | Mohtamim, Darul Uloom Hathazari Madrasa |
| Mufti Kamruzzaman | Mohtamim, Shamsul Ulum Madrasa, Faridpur |
| Mufti Ismatullah Qasemi | Prominent Scholar, Nagarkanda |
| Maulana Nizamuddin | Mohtamim, Purura Madrasa |
The gathering included several of the nation’s most respected Deobandi figures, including the head of the Hathazari Madrasa, who joined Babunagari in reinforcing the spiritual authority of their movement. As the 2026 election cycle draws closer, Babunagari’s public dismissal of Jamaat’s viability signals a deepening fracture within the religious political landscape. By predicting a total electoral defeat for Jamaat, the Hefazat leadership is effectively attempting to consolidate its influence over the traditionalist vote bank, portraying itself as the sole non-political guardian of religious integrity.