Islamist student wing wins Dhaka University polls. Why it matters

For the first time since Bangladesh’s independence in 1971, an Islamist student organisation has won the Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) elections. On Wednesday, election results revealed that Islami Chhatra Shibir (ICS), the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, had won nine out of the 12 posts in elections.

The outcome stunned everyone as Dhaka University is often regarded as a symbol of liberal, progressive student politics. ICS candidate Sadik Qayem was elected Vice-President, securing 14,042 votes, far outpacing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal’s Abidul Islam Khan with 5,658, while independent Umama Fatema polled 3,389.

Meanwhile, SM Farhad clinched the powerful General Secretary’s post with 10,794 votes, defeating JCD’s Tanvir Bari, who managed 5,283. The President’s post are reserved for the university’s vice-chancellor.

The result is considered to be a crushing setback for the student wing of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh ist Party (BNP), which immediately rejected the verdict. The JCD alleged "planned manipulation" and dismissed the entire election as a farce.

WHY THIS WIN IS SIGNIFICANT

ICS’s win carries symbolic weight. The outcome signals an influence of Islamist thought in institutions once dominated by progressive and secular voices.

However, not everyone agrees with the fact. Many argue the victory may not change national politics directly. Since the Awami League and its student wing are banned, many students who were sympathetic to their ideology reportedly voted for ICS as an alternative to BNP.

Veteran Bangladeshi journalist Abdul Bari said, "In Bangladesh’s politics, the Awami League and BNP have always been rivals. During Awami League’s rule, Jamaat’s student wing would sometimes quietly receive support from Awami League sympathisers because they did not consider Jamaat as big a political threat as BNP."

"Even though the Awami League is banned now, nearly 30 percent of people still believe in its ideology. So in this election, students who lean towards Awami League preferred voting for Jamaat’s student wing instead of BNP. That is why ICS won. But it will not impact Bangladesh’s broader political trajectory," he added.

CONCERN FOR INDIA-BANGLADESH TIES, SAYS THAROOR

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor raised alarm over the sweeping victory of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing at Dhaka University, calling it a worrying portent for Bangladesh’s political trajectory and for India’s relations with its neighbour.

On X, Shashi Tharoor wrote, "This may have registered as barely a blip on most Indian minds, but it is a worrying portent of things to come."

He pointed that there is an increasing sense of frustration in Bangladesh with both major parties -- the (now banned) Awami League and the Bangladesh Party, adding that those who wish "a plague on both your houses" are increasingly turning to the Jamaat-e-Islami, not because these voters are zealots or Islamist fundamentalists, but because the JeI are not tainted by the corruption and misgovernance associated, rightly or wrongly, with the two mainstream parties.

He raised concerns, saying, "How will this play out in the Feb 2026 general elections? Will New Delhi be dealing with a Jamaat majority next door?"

Observers, including India, will be watching closely as the Feb 2026 general elections approach, wary of how this potential shift in politics.

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