Top Islamist Leader Promises Christians No Sharia Ahead of Bangladesh Election

Christian leaders also raised concerns about the possible introduction of blasphemy laws and the safety and social security of religious minorities.
As Bangladesh heads toward a crucial general election on Feb. 12, the country’s largest Islamist party, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, has offered an unusual assurance to religious minorities, pledging that it would not impose Islamic Sharia law if it comes to power.
Shafiqur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, made the promise during a meeting on Jan. 14 with Christian leaders in Dhaka, according to participants in the discussion. The statement has sparked debate across the country, where Jamaat’s Islamist ideology and past positions appear to stand in tension with the pledge.
“He promised that they will not run the country under Sharia law,” said Martha Das, general secretary of the National Christian Fellowship of Bangladesh, who was part of a 20-member Christian delegation that met Rahman.
She told EWTN News that Christian …