Dhaka: The ground in Dhanmondi was crammed with people. Amid green banners and a portrait of Jamaat ameer or party leader Dr Shafiqur Rahman, the weighing-scale symbol was everywhere. As I walked towards the election rally, not far away was the site of Mujibur Rahman’s house at 32 Dhanmondi, which was set ablaze and later bulldozed into ruins. As one history recedes, another emerges.Buildings around the park’s fence were packed with people on the rooftops and on balconies and at windows, clinging to bars and ledges to hear the leadership speak. Drones hovered overhead while police, in their new brown uniforms, kept a tight vigil. Once branded the “enemy of the state”, Jamaat-e-Islami has now resurrected as one of the main contenders in the upcoming Bangladesh elections.Getting around Dhaka can be a struggle, but discipline at political rallies is easier to navigate. Political advertising in Bangladesh has long been restricted to black and white; coloured posters are officially barred, though violations are common and often overlooked by the authorities.After Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan in 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami was banned. Following the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the ban was lifted in 1976, allowing its leaders to resume political activity. In 1979, the present Bangladeshi faction of Jamaat-e-Islami was formally constituted, breaking away from its parent organisation based in Pakistan, founded by Abul A’la Maududi six years before the creation of Pakistan and Indian independence.Since then, Jamaat has contested elections in Bangladesh, though its electoral success has been limited. Its best performance came in 2001, when it won 17 seats as part of an alliance with the BNP. Even before Bangladesh’s formation, when the party represented Pakistan, it secured few – sometimes no – seats from East Pakistan.After the ban was lifted, Jamaat regrouped even as the Awami League prosecuted its cadres and leaders for crimes committed during the 1971 war, when the party had supported Pakistan and collaborated as “razakars”. A series of executions followed, forcing many leaders underground or into exile. The most severe blow came in 2013, when the Supreme Court cancelled Jamaat’s registration, plunging the party into further uncertainty.The July revolution of 2024 and Sheikh Hasina’s flight from the country marked a turning point. With the Awami League subsequently banned, Jamaat’s resurgence took on a new momentum. While the party claims it could win more than 100 of the 300 parliamentary seats, political analysts and ground reports suggest Jamaat may secure around 50, with the BNP emerging as the largest party.Speaking to The Wire, Jamaat leader Jubair insisted that the party has no intention of enforcing sharia law and would govern strictly within the framework of Bangladesh’s constitution.Addressing the rally, party leader Rahman spoke of respecting women, stating that men who fail to respect mothers, sisters and wives “are not human beings” and lack moral pedigree.Large numbers of women, mostly clad in burqas, sat in the front rows of the gathering. Even young girls were fully covered. A large concern is how India would engage with Bangladesh should Jamaat come to power – or even remain a strong opposition. Jamaat leaders say they have previously engaged with India and are open to a working relationship. However, they have also urged the Indian government to restrain Sheikh Hasina from political activity on Indian soil, citing her conviction by Bangladeshi courts over her handling of the July 2024 protests.At rallies from Banani to Dhanmondi, young men and women spoke candidly. “We have seen the Awami League, BNP and Jatiyo Party. All have been corrupt. Why not give Jamaat a chance?” one attendee asked.Yaar Mohammed Hossain, a blue-collar worker, was more direct: “We Bangladeshis are not idiots. If we could topple Hasina, Jamaat or BNP would be no issue. We will watch them closely and hold them accountable.”The rally ended with namaz, led by a maulvi. The overt Islamic imagery was unmistakable, but the promises made – just days before the election – will determine how Jamaat-e-Islami positions itself and shapes Bangladesh’s democratic future and the wider South Asian balance of power.All images are by Shome Basu.