Javed Akhtar expressed happiness over the defeat of Jamaat-e-Islami in Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, highlighting it as a rejection of their communal ideology.
The parliamentary elections in Bangladesh held in 2026 have drawn significant attention, with Jamaat-e-Islami achieving its best performance yet, winning around 68 seats. However, the BNP (Bangladesh National Party) secured a substantial majority, defeating Jamaat and marking a significant political shift. Despite Jamaat emerging as the main opposition party, it fell significantly short compared to the BNP, and the party has accepted its loss gracefully.
In the aftermath of the election results, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's son, Tarique Rahman, is set to become the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh. Javed Akhtar, a renowned Bollywood lyricist, reacted to Jamaat's poor showing, taking to Twitter to express his joy. He highlighted that Jamaat-e-Islami is perceived as a principal source of right-wing ideology in Bangladesh and is widely blamed for the persecution of Hindus. Akhtar pointed out that the election results signify that the majority of the Bangladeshi population does not accept Jamaat's communal bias against minorities, viewing this outcome as a positive development for the country.
