Pakistanis of Bangladeshi origin weigh hopes, doubts ahead of Feb 12 vote

By Akhtar Pathan

KARACHI, Pakistan (MNTV) — As Bangladesh heads to the polls on Feb. 12 to elect a new government after 15 years of rule by Sheikh Hasina Wajid, Pakistanis of Bangladeshi origin say they are cautiously hopeful the vote will bring stability — though expectations remain tempered by deep political skepticism.

The elections come after months of political unrest and a prolonged standoff between the Awami League and opposition parties led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, or BNP.

Hasina’s government, in power since 2009, oversaw repeated elections boycotted by major opposition groups, allegations of widespread rights abuses and crackdowns on dissent, and growing international pressure for a more inclusive political process.

In the run-up to the Feb. 12 polls, Hasina was forced from office following mass protests led by students, prompting the formation of an interim administration tasked with overseeing elections.

The Awami League has been barred from contesting the vote, leaving the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and their allies to compete in what authorities say will be a transitional election aimed at restoring political order.

Against this backdrop, reactions among Pakistanis of Bangladeshi origin reflect a mix of guarded optimism and entrenched mistrust of Bangladesh’s political class.

‘No party offers meaningful alternatives’

Muhammad Faizullah Farooqi, who runs a private tuition center in Korangi, Karachi’s largest low-income settlement, said Bangladesh’s major political parties no longer offer meaningful alternatives.

“The BNP has steadily lost its effectiveness and popularity since the death of its founder, Zia-ur-Rahman,” Farooqi said. “In practical terms, there is little difference between the Awami League and the BNP.”

He likened Bangladesh’s two dominant parties to Pakistan’s own long-ruling rivals – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party –, arguing both are shaped more by external alignments than domestic reform. Corruption, he added, remains endemic across the political spectrum.

Farooqi said Islamic parties, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami, remain politically marginalized despite having organized street power and an active student wing.

“Like Pakistan, Jamaat has always been sidelined after aligning with larger parties,” he said, predicting renewed friction if the BNP and Jamaat form a post-election coalition.

Despite harsh criticism of Hasina’s rule, Farooqi acknowledged her government maintained price controls and subsidies for essential goods and managed the economy under difficult conditions — advantages he said a future BNP-led government may struggle to replicate.

“BNP lacks economic management experience,” he said. “Very soon, public discontent could grow.”

Farooqi dismissed speculation that Pakistanis of Bangladeshi origin would consider relocating if Bangladesh prospers.

“We didn’t stay in Pakistan for economic reasons,” he said. “We stayed because we never accepted the partition ideologically. Our children were born and raised here. They are no longer Bengali.”

He also argued Bangladesh holds a political advantage over Pakistan, saying its population has historically shown greater resistance to authoritarianism. “The removal of Hasina through popular pressure reflects a freedom-loving political culture,” he said.

‘Elections, after long one-party rule, are a sign of stability’

A young journalist with a national Urdu-language television channel, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed guarded optimism.

“After prolonged one-party rule and political chaos, elections themselves are a sign of stability,” he said. “No matter who forms the government — BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami or a coalition — the process could strengthen democratic norms.”

The journalist noted that an incoming government may face diplomatic and economic challenges due to a less India-friendly posture but said transparency and public backing could offset those pressures.

He also pointed to Bangladesh’s higher literacy rate and political awareness compared with Pakistan, adding that the military establishment appears, for now, to be distancing itself from direct political involvement, which has opened a rare window of opportunity for all contesting parties.

‘We hope for stability, but expectations are low’

Lutfurrahman, a finance department head at a private firm, said Bangladesh’s political consciousness is rooted in its long history of mass movements.

“Bengalis have consistently mobilized for their rights — during colonial rule, the Pakistan movement, the independence struggle, and recent uprisings,” he said. “Their activism is not always religious. It is driven by living conditions and political rights.”

Still, Lutfurrahman said he sees limited prospects for meaningful reform regardless of who wins.

“We hope for stability, but expectations are low,” he said, citing what he described as deeply entrenched elite attitudes and weak institutional capacity.

He acknowledged that Hasina’s government was marked by hostility toward Pakistan and a strong pro-India orientation, but said it also delivered social welfare gains. Whether a future government can balance sovereignty, reform and stability remains uncertain, he added.

‘Ban on Awami League from polls can backfire’

Prince Hafeez, a Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan worker, said Jamaat’s Bangladeshi counterpart could benefit from a sympathy vote after years of repression.

“The party endured severe crackdowns under Hasina’s rule,” he said, arguing that banning the Awami League from contesting elections could backfire by allowing it to portray itself as victimized.

Hafeez said the real contest appears to be between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, noting that past alliances collapsed over BNP fears of alienating secular voters — a calculation he described as misguided.

“Bangladeshis are politically open and religiously comfortable,” he said.

Across interviews, respondents said Bangladesh and Pakistan share cultural roots but diverge politically. Bangladesh’s relative ethnic and linguistic homogeneity, they said, has enabled collective action that remains elusive in Pakistan’s fragmented political landscape.

Even so, most said migration is not an option.

“This is our home,” Farooqi said. “Like everywhere else in the region, life is difficult. But leaving for Bangladesh is not a solution.”