As many as six pro-government Islamist parties have opened talks to form an electoral alliance some six weeks ahead of the general election.

The parties have agreed in principle to form a coalition during a meeting late on Tuesday at the Banani residence of Zaker Party chief Mostafa Amir Faisal, according to people familiar with the matter.

The meeting was attended by Islamic Democratic Alliance chief Misbahur Rahman Chowdhury, who leads a faction of the Islami Oikyo Jote (IOJ), its Co-Chairman MA Awal, Islamic Front Chairman Syed Bahadur Shah, newly-formed Bangladesh Supreme Party’s Syed Saifuddin Maijbhandari among others, said sources.

“Initial talks have opened aiming to form a larger Islamist coalition. The process has just started and the details will be made available later,” IOJ leader Awal told Bangla Tribune.

According to a senior leader involved in the process, the move was initiated upon the ruling party’s advice as it wants multi-party representation in the next parliament.

One of the leaders of the coalition, who is a lawmaker, has been instructed to organise pro-government Islamist political outfits to form a separate coalition.