‘Winter Is Coming’ banners mark Jamaat chief’s Chattogram campaign

Chattogram’s streets turned into a scene straight out of Game of Thrones on the eve of Jamaat-e-Islami Amir Dr Shafiqur Rahman’s arrival in the port city, as banners carrying the ominous warning “Winter Is Coming” suddenly appeared across key city points.

Seen in Halishahar, Boropole and Chawkbazar, the posters replace Jon Snow with Shafiqur Rahman, casting him as a lone figure against a backdrop of snow and wolves. Instead of a sword, he holds a scale shaped like a blade, a visual cue many read as a message of justice and reckoning. At the bottom, a signature reads: “Dadu Fan Club Chattogram.”

The timing added fuel to the spectacle. Shafiqur Rahman reached Chattogram on Monday via Cox’s Bazar as part of his nationwide election campaign and addressed four major public meetings across Cox’s Bazar and Chattogram, including Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar Sadar, Lohagara’s Padua, and Sitakunda. His last rally will be held at the Bandar School and College ground in the city in the evening.

As images of the banners spread rapidly on social media, reactions were sharply divided. Supporters hailed the creative flair, calling it a bold signal that “change is coming.” Critics, however, questioned the use of imagery from a foreign television series known for violence and controversy.

Caught in the middle of the viral storm, Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders moved quickly to deny any organisational link. Chattogram Nagar Jamaat Assistant Secretary Saifuddin Khaled said the party had no knowledge of such banners. “This was not done by any party decision. Our official banners clearly carry the organisation’s name,” he said.

Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders echoed the claim. Zahidul Alam Joy, publicity and media editor of the Chattogram Metropolitan South unit, said the visuals first appeared on fan pages. “Someone later printed and displayed them. This is fan enthusiasm, not an organisational campaign,” he said.

When asked about the banner, Chawkbazar unit Jamaat Amir Ahmed Khaledul Anwar told Jago News that some fans of the Amir-e-Jamaat may have put it up to express their interest or excitement.

In this regard, Jamaat’s Central Majlis-e-Shura member and Metropolitan Jamaat Secretary, Principal Nurul Amin, said the matter had come to his attention. However, he clarified that such banners were not erected as part of any organisational decision.

“Nowadays, many people are doing unexpected things from different places,” he said. “Some are acting out of love and emotion, even to question Jamaat. We are investigating the matter.”

In Game of Thrones, the words “Winter Is Coming” serve as a warning of hardship, upheaval and an approaching reckoning that spares no one. Whether intended as a political signal or a burst of fan-driven creativity, the slogan has now crossed from Westeros into Bangladesh’s election battlefield, turning Shafiqur Rahman’s Chattogram visit into a moment of high drama and stirring a debate that shows no sign of cooling down.