Islami Jatiya Oikya Front

Not to be confused with Jatiya Oikya Front.

Islami Jatiya Oikya Front
FounderFazlul Karim
Founded2001
Dissolved2003
IdeologyIslamism
Islamic democracy
Religious nationalism
Federalism
Anti-feminism
Factions:
Socialism
Political positionLeft-wing to far-right
ReligionSunni Islam
Seats in Jatiya Sangshad (2001)
17 / 350

Islami Jatiya Oikya Front (IJOF, lit. Islamic National United Front) was a short-lived political alliance in Bangladesh. Formed in 2001,[1] it was one of the three principal contenders in that year's parliamentary elections. Led by the Jatiya Party (Ershad), it also included the Islami Shashontantra Andolan (ISA) and three smaller parties.[2]

The founder of the ISA, Fazlul Karim, declared that IJOF's intention was to establish an Islamic government.[1] Other planks in the party platform included transforming Bangladesh into a federation of eight autonomous provinces, and prohibiting women from becoming prime minister.[3]

The Jatiya Party (Ershad) fielded candidates in 281 of the country's 300 parliamentary constituencies, leaving the remaining 19 to be contested by its junior partners.[3] The front won 14 seats.[4] It received 7.25% of the votes, and accordingly was allocated 3 of the 45 additional seats reserved for women.[1]

The front collapsed after the 2001 election because, according to political scientist Ali Riaz, "all of the 17 seats won by the alliance were JP candidates who preferred their party affiliation in the parliament".[1]

  1. ^ a b c d Riaz, Ali; Ali Ar Raji, Khandakar (2011). "Who are the Islamists?". In Riaz, Ali; Fair, C. Christine (eds.). Political Islam and Governance in Bangladesh. Routledge. pp. 56–57. ISBN 978-0-415-57673-4.
  2. ^ Datta, Sreeradha (2004). Bangladesh, a fragile democracy. Delhi: Shipra. p. 47. ISBN 978-81-7541-165-4. In 2001 the key contest was between three principal players, namely, the four-party alliance led by the BNP ... , [the] Awami League, and the five party Islamic Jatiya Oikya Front, IJOF (led by Ershad faction of the Jatiya Party, it consisted of the Islamic Constitution Movement (ICM), JAGPA, PNP and the Muslim League) ... the IJOF came out with a common platform ...
  3. ^ a b Ahmed, N.; Ahmad, Sheikh Z. (September 2003). "The parliamentary elections in Bangladesh, October 2001". Electoral Studies. 22 (3): 504–505. doi:10.1016/S0261-3794(03)00007-6. The JP (Ershad) nominated candidates in 281 constituencies, with the other constituencies allotted to its Islamic latiya Oikkya Front (IJOF) partners ... the Islamic Jatiya Oikkya Front (IJOF), led by Hossain Mohammad Ershad, a former President and chairman of JP (Ershad), pledged, among other things, to transform Bangladesh into a federal country of eight provinces, with each province enjoying autonomous status; and, secondly, to bar women from leading any future government
  4. ^ Habib, Haroon (13 October 2001). "The return of Khaleda Zia". Frontline. Vol. 18, no. 21. Retrieved 13 December 2009.