Many Bangladeshis visiting Calcutta expressed relief on Friday over the defeat of Jamaat-e-Islami in their country’s national elections. Rising fundamentalism, they said, was the biggest threat to Bangladesh, and the results have eased fears while rekindling hopes of stability and progress.
They pointed to the economic distress triggered by the turmoil that engulfed the country following the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government in August 2024. The election outcome offers a chance to restore democratic order after months of political uncertainty and unrest, they said.
“Almost everyone thought that the Jamaat would win more than 100 seats. In reality, that didn’t happen. I think one of the reasons is that many young people in Bangladesh resent fundamentalists. Most common people like me also did not like Jamaat’s stand against Muktijuddho (the Liberation War of 1971),” said Md Mahmudul Hasan, 50, a resident of Tongi in Gazipur.
Hasan said a political shift had become necessary: “Hasina had been in power for too long and had become autocratic. I hope this Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) government will not turn autocratic.”
Others highlighted the strain on trade and employment. Md Shah Meraz, 34, a marketing executive with an apparel manufacturing unit on the outskirts of Dhaka, said instability had severely affected exports. Meraz is in Calcutta with his mother, who is undergoing treatment at Narayana Health RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.
“Our company exports garments to Europe and the US. Since the turmoil began in August 2024, business has gone down by more than 30%. Clients in Europe and the US were apprehensive about placing orders because of the unrest,” Meraz said.
“Banks were not providing adequate cash support to factories. Many small manufacturing units that were our vendors had to shut down. That led to job losses and widespread tension,” he added.
He is hopeful of improvement. “Now, when stability returns, I hope business will pick up,” he said.
Babul Hussain, a resident of Kushtia, described the election as a moment of celebration. He arrived in Calcutta on a medical visa with his wife, daughter, a friend and the friend’s sister after casting his ballot on Thursday.
“The election followed almost two years of turmoil. The return to democracy is being celebrated across Bangladesh like a festival. It was like Eid for us,” Hussain said.
The group proudly displayed their inked fingers. They are voters from Kushtia-3 (Sadar) and supported BNP chairman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, who is poised to become the next Prime Minister.
“He is the best bet for our country right now. He comes across as an educated and progressive leader,” said Hussain’s wife, Piya Akhtar.
Shamimul Islam Shamim, a freelance photographer, said many had been anxious about Jamaat’s prospects. “The results showed that most of Bangladesh still does not subscribe to hardline ideology,” he said.
Not everyone viewed the election as entirely fair. Alok Chandra Das, from Ghazipur near Dhaka, who has been in Calcutta for over two months on a medical visa, said: “An election without the Awami League cannot be called completely fair. But my parents and relatives voted. They wanted to keep Jamaat at bay.”
In central Calcutta’s Marquis Street and Free School Street, areas frequented by Bangladeshi visitors, the usual bustle has been missing since violence erupted in August 2024. On Friday, only a handful of visitors could be seen, many closely tracking developments back home on their phones.
Two young men from Faridpur were having lunch on Free School Street. One, a law student on a short-term double-entry visa, plans to pursue higher studies in Finland and will soon visit the Finnish embassy in Delhi.
His companion, in the city on a medical visa, said even traditional Awami League supporters in their district had voted tactically. “Faridpur used to be an Awami stronghold. Many of our relatives and neighbours who support the Awami League voted for the BNP to defeat Jamaat. But mark my words, the Awami League will make a comeback,” he said.
Shihab Rana, a businessman and cardiac patient, arrived in the city in December with his wife, Afroza Hussain. “It is a pity that we could not vote. But we are in constant touch with people back home. The return to elections is a moment to cherish. We hope the dark days are behind us,” Rana said.