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My name is Krishna Nandi. I’m a Hindu. I am a businessman. I am also a parliamentary candidate of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
To many readers, this combination will seem unusual. To me, it reflects a deeper truth about Bangladeshi politics that has long been obscured by fear, misinformation, and political expediency.
My nomination sparked a national debate because it challenges the long-held assumption that Islamic parties cannot truly represent religious minorities. I welcome this discussion. My candidacy exists to directly and openly confront this very assumption.
I want to make clear what I have said repeatedly to people across the constituency. If Jamaat-e-Islami comes to power, Hindus will not have to leave Bangladesh. Hindus will not be forced to go to India. In return, Hindus will live in this country with dignity, security and respect. When I say that Hindus are treated with honor, I am not speaking symbolically. I’m talking about concrete guarantees of security, justice, and equal citizenship under the law.
For decades, fear has been deliberately planted in the hearts of minority communities. Hindus have been told that Islamic politics automatically means their persecution. While this narrative is politically useful for some, it is extremely harmful to national unity. My nomination itself is a living contradiction to this claim and has already restored confidence among many who had completely lost faith in politics.
I joined Jamaat-e-Islami in 2003. It wasn’t out of convenience, it was out of conviction. I found discipline, responsibility and moral clarity within the party. Jamaat does not buy votes with money. We do not rely on threats, blackmail, or violence.
These are not rhetorical claims. These are principles that are enforced within the company. That is why many ordinary citizens, including minorities, are currently reconsidering their political choices.
People are losing trust in traditional political parties. This includes political parties that once spoke the language of democracy but gradually normalized corruption, violence, and impunity. People don’t just vote against something. They are looking for alternatives that seriously consider justice, governance, and moral responsibility.
Jamaat is increasingly gaining traction as an alternative. In my constituency, Khulna-1, people have suffered for years due to extortion, political violence and fear. Hindus in particular face targeted attacks, discrimination, and economic marginalization. Many people lost their jobs unjustly. Families have always lived under pressure.
I have made it clear that these injustices will not be ignored. Those who have been unfairly dismissed will be brought to justice through legal procedures. Violence or intimidation against any community will not be tolerated.
I don’t believe in broker-based politics. We do not work through intermediaries. My phone number has been shared with people and will remain that way. Representation should be direct, responsible, and continuous, and not only active during election periods.
There were attempts to blackmail me. Local power structures, including figures with ties to established political parties, are trying to apply pressure. My response was firm. You can’t silence me or push me away. For too long, fear has dominated our politics. Nothing will change if you surrender to it.
Another issue to be honest about is history. I do not deny that the ethnic minorities of Bangladesh have suffered under different governments and at different times. That suffering cannot be erased with fancy words. What matters is whether political movements are willing to confront injustice rather than deny it.
My presence within Jamaat-e-Islami is not an attempt to rewrite history, but an attempt to shape the future. Many people ask whether Jamaat is only for Muslims. My answer is simple. Jamaat is an Islamic party in terms of values but a national party in terms of responsibility. Justice, responsibility, and human dignity are not owned by any particular religion.
During the July 2024 Bangladesh riots, many minority religious communities understandably felt unsafe. But it was members of organizations like Jamaat-e-Islami who gave us protection and kept our temples and places of worship safe.
A nation ruled by justice protects minorities better than a nation governed by slogans. When families fall into poverty, Jamaat-aligned welfare networks intervene without questioning religious or political allegiances. This culture of service explains why many see the Jamaat not as a party of slogans, but as a party of discipline, structure and responsibility.
I would like to be equally clear for international observers. This election is not about importing ideology or exporting fear. It is about restoring the trust of the people and the nation.
Bangladesh is a pluralistic society in reality, not charity. Political forces that ignore this fact cannot govern sustainably. My candidacy is not only about winning a seat but also opening a new political dialogue in Bangladesh. Conversations that go beyond fear, beyond social mistrust, and beyond the idea that identity divides us.
I am running as a Hindu candidate not because I am against Jamaat-e-Islam, but because I believe its principles will help build a safer and fairer Bangladesh for all. This country belongs to all of us.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.
