Afghan Taliban officials visited Bangladesh last week, meeting Islamist leaders eager to boost their political influence before elections scheduled in February. Noor Ahmad Noor, director general at Kabul's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the visit to strengthen trade and political ties, said Abu Sayem Khaled, president of the Bangladesh-Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce. Mamunul Haque, leader of the Islamist Khelafat-e-Majlish party, told AFP that Noor also visited his madrassa. "It was a courtesy call, as we run one of the largest madrassas in the country," Haque said. "He visited some other madrassas as well." Bangladesh's interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has not commented. A foreign ministry official said Noor's trip was "personal." Bangladesh, with 170 million people mostly Sunni Muslims, is preparing for its first election after a 2024 uprising ousted Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic rule. The Jamaat-e-Islami party, Bangladesh's largest Islamist group tied to the Muslim Brotherhood, aims to return to formal politics after bans and crackdowns during Hasina's 15 years in power. Hasina had cracked down on Islamist groups, blaming them for human rights abuses and security threats. The Taliban have old links with Bangladesh’s banned militant group Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, whose fighters once fought in Afghanistan. In September, leaders of Hefazat-e-Islam, a major Islamic coalition, visited Afghanistan and praised what they called a "rule-based society." Bangladesh also hosts diverse Islamic practices, including Sufi and Shia communities, alongside around 10% non-Muslims, mainly Hindus and some Christians.