"The fast-paced, rhythm-driven song's lyrics could come across as commentary about life in rural Bangladesh. The days of boat, the sheaf of paddy and the plough have ended; the scales will now build Bangladesh, the words go. In reality, though, the song is a political anthem supportive of Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami party that went viral on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok in early November."
"On February 12, the country is scheduled to vote in what is shaping up to be a direct contest between the BNP and a Jamaat-led alliance. On-the-ground campaigning starts on Thursday, January 22. But online, parties have been battling it out for months, trying to attract Gen Z voters who played a key role in overthrowing Hasina, and now could play a pivotal role in determining who forms the next government."
On-the-ground campaigning begins January 22 ahead of a February 12 national vote shaping up as a direct contest between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and a Jamaat-led alliance. A fast-paced, rhythm-driven pro-Jamaat song that went viral on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and TikTok uses rural imagery to contrast political symbols: the boat (Awami League), the sheaf of paddy (BNP), the plough (Jatiya Party) and the scales (Jamaat). Parties have campaigned online for months to attract Gen Z voters who helped oust former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August 2024. Social media campaigns and campaign songs have become central tools alongside mass rallies. A London-based filmmaker, HAL Banna, composed and sang the pro-Jamaat song initially for a single Dhaka candidate.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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