Bangladesh - A Democratic Test

The party, which was banned after the 1971 war, is now re‑emerging ahead of the upcoming national polls. Sreenivasan Jain presses its Emir on both its past actions and its future role in Bangladeshi politics, signalling renewed scrutiny by the media.

The broadcast is a television programme presented as a single episode, centred on political developments in Bangladesh. It follows the format of a current‑affairs show, with a focus on a specific party’s fortunes as the country heads toward a national poll. In this installment the film‑maker turns its attention to Jamaat‑e‑Islami, a party that was previously outlawed but is now beginning to reappear on the political scene ahead of the forthcoming elections. The segment features journalist Sreenivasan Jain confronting the party’s Emir, pressing him for explanations about the organisation’s historical record and probing what it envisions for its future trajectory. The episode therefore serves as a snapshot of a party attempting to re‑establish itself after a period of prohibition, while also providing a platform for critical questioning. Jain’s interview style seeks to draw out the Emir’s reflections on past actions and to gauge the direction the party intends to take as it seeks relevance in the upcoming electoral contest. By juxtaposing the party’s resurgence with pointed queries about its legacy, the programme offers viewers a concise look at the challenges and ambitions facing Jamaat‑e‑Islami in this pivotal moment.