'Bangladesh Needs Secular Leadership': Taslima Nasreem Hopes New Govt 'Unbans Awami League'

Last Updated:February 12, 2026, 12:39 IST

Taslima Nasreen said that if the BNP wins Bangladesh’s ongoing parliamentary elections, Jamaat-e-Islami could become the main opposition due to the ban on the Awami League.

Bangladeshi writer and activist Taslima Nasreen on Thursday raised concerns over the direction of the country’s opposition politics, saying the absence of the Awami League from the ongoing parliamentary elections could pave the way for a religion-based party to become the principal opposition force.

In a post on X, Nasreen wrote that if the Bangladesh ist Party (BNP) wins the election, Jamaat-e-Islami would become the main opposition for the first time in Bangladesh’s history.

“This happens only because the Awami League has been banned," she mentioned.

“I hope the elected government unbans the Awami League, so that the opposition comes from secular or left-leaning parties, not a religious one," Nasreen wrote, expressing concern about the long-term implications of religion-based politics in a country that identifies itself as secular.

She added, “I oppose dynasty politics and religion-based politics. In a truly secular state, no political party should be built on religion. If any party must be banned on principle, it should be Jamaat-e-Islami, not secular parties."

Calling for a broader political transformation, Nasreen said, “Bangladesh needs new secular leadership committed to women’s rights, human rights, universal education, universal healthcare, and free speech, not dynasties, not clerics."

Her remarks come as Bangladesh votes in its 13th parliamentary elections, with the contest mainly between the BNP and its once ally, Jamaat-e-Islami, in the absence of the Awami League.

According to news agency PTI, voting began at 7.30 am local time in 299 out of 300 parliamentary constituencies and will continue until 4.30 pm.

The general elections are being held simultaneously with a referendum on an 84-point reform package introduced by interim chief Muhammad Yunus.

BNP chairman Tarique Rahman cast his vote at the Gulshan Model School and College centre in Dhaka and said, “I have exercised my constitutional right to vote. For more than a decade, the people of Bangladesh have been waiting for this day."

He added that if elected, “We will lay priority to improving law and order in the country so that people feel secure".

Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman also voted and said his party would accept the results if the election was conducted fairly.

PTI reported that the election is the first since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, following massive nationwide protests.

The interim government later disbanded the Awami League and barred it from contesting the polls.

With over 1,755 candidates from 50 political parties and 273 independents in the fray, the outcome of the election is expected to shape Bangladesh’s political future.

News world 'Bangladesh Needs Secular Leadership': Taslima Nasreem Hopes New Govt 'Unbans Awami League'

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