Sources indicate that one Nayeb-e-Ameer and two lawyer-members of parliament from Jamaat are currently at the top of internal discussions. However, the party has not yet made any formal decision, according to Maulana Abdul Halim, Assistant Secretary General of Jamaat and Member Secretary of its National Election Management Committee.
The issue of appointing a Deputy Speaker from the opposition gained attention shortly after the February 12 election, as the matter was included in the commitments of the July Charter. Although the topic had not been publicly discussed for several weeks, it resurfaced on Monday at the Bangladesh Secretariat when Home Minister and BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed raised the matter.
After a meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin Ahmed told reporters that, in respect of the July National Charter, the government had formally offered the Deputy Speaker position to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami as the principal opposition party.
He stated that the July Charter was signed on the basis of consensus and should now be implemented as a political agreement. “In accordance with the July National Charter, we have offered the main opposition party the opportunity to nominate the Deputy Speaker so that the position can be elected on the same day as the Speaker,” he said.
When asked whether this indicated the formation of an upper house, Salahuddin Ahmed said the matter remains open for discussion. He added that while the ruling party could constitutionally hold both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions, the July Charter stipulates that the Deputy Speaker should come from the opposition. “We are offering this now as a gesture of goodwill,” he said.
Responding to Salahuddin Ahmed’s remarks, Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Abdul Halim told reporters that the party’s policymaking forum has not yet held any discussions or reached a decision on the matter. He dismissed media speculation about potential candidates as inaccurate and said the party would announce its decision in due course.
However, discussions within the party suggest that Barrister Najibur Rahman Momen, son of former Jamaat Ameer Matiur Rahman Nizami, is currently the leading contender. Elected from the Pabna-1 constituency, Momen is known as a prominent lawyer and previously served as a defense counsel in several high-profile cases, including those involving his father and Maulana Abdus Subhan. The Pabna-1 seat has historically been considered influential, having previously elected senior political figures.
Another name under consideration is Professor Mujibur Rahman, a Nayeb-e-Ameer of Jamaat elected from Rajshahi-1. A senior party leader, he played a significant role as parliamentary leader of Jamaat in the 1986 parliament.
Additionally, some party members have mentioned Barrister Ahmad Bin Qasem Arman, elected from Dhaka-14. A Supreme Court lawyer, Arman served as defense counsel in several notable cases, including that of his father, Mir Quasem Ali. He reportedly spent nearly nine years in enforced disappearance during the previous administration, a period that has generated sympathy among party members.
Jamaat-e-Islami is expected to announce its official position on the Deputy Speaker nomination in the coming days.
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