List of political parties in Bangladesh
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Since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, Bangladesh has a fading two-party system, which means that two political parties dominate the general elections, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of another party.
Although the AL and BNP dominated Bangladeshi politics for a long time, both of the parties are usually classified as centrist parties with political ideology of Awami League being bengali nationalism and that of Bangladesh Nationalist Party being bangladeshi nationalism.[1]
After the fall of the Awami League government following the July Revolution on 5 August 2024, a new political party named National Citizen Party (NCP) was established on 28 February 2025 as the first student-led political party in the history of Bangladesh.[2][3][4]
History
[edit]The current parliamentary system in the country was established in 1991 and is modeled after the Westminster system. Prior to this, the nation experienced a period of military rule from 1975 to 1990. In response to demands from the two major political parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a caretaker government was introduced in 1990 following the resignation of military ruler Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was appointed as the Chief Advisor and oversaw the 1991 general election.
The caretaker government is led by a Chief Advisor who holds powers similar to those of a regular prime minister, with the exception of defense matters. The Advisors function in roles akin to ministers. Following the 1991 elections, caretaker governments also facilitated the elections in 1996, 2001, and 2008. Initially intended to support the transition from authoritarianism to democracy, the caretaker system was institutionalized in 1996 by the Sixth Parliament due to increasing mistrust between the BNP and AL.
In 2011, the Awami League, then in power, abolished the caretaker government system. This decision has since been a significant point of contention between Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party, contributing to ongoing political disputes.[5]
Alliances
[edit]Grand Alliance
[edit]The Grand Alliance (Bengali: মহাজোট) is an alliance of political parties in Bangladesh that was formed in 2008. It consist of the Awami League, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Ganatantri Dol, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) (Barua) and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh.
The Liberal Democratic Party left the Grand Alliance before the election and contested independently. It joined the 18 Party Alliance in 2012.
Left Democratic Alliance
[edit]The Left Democratic Alliance is an alliance of eight leftist political parties including Communist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Communist League of Bangladesh, Ganatantrik Biplobi Party, Bam Gonotantrik Andolon and Ganosanhati Andolan.[6]
Ganatantra Manch
[edit]Ganatantra Manch (Bengali: গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ) is a political alliance consisting of six political parties in Bangladesh. The alliance announced its formation on 8 August 2024[7][8][9] and consists of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab), the Nagrik Oikya, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, the Bhasani Anusari Parishad, the Rastro Songskar Andolon and the Ganosanhati Andolan.[10][11] The Gono Odhikar Parishad was initially with the alliance, but in May 2023 they pulled out of the alliance. Among them, only the JSD (Rab) and the Revolutionary Workers Party are registered with the Bangladesh Election Commission.[12]
Registered parties
[edit]These are all the parties that are currently registered under Election Commission.[13]
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Regional parties
[edit]| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCJSS | Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম জনসংহতি সমিতি |
1972 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Shantu Larma | Left-wing | |
| UPDF | United People's Democratic Front ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট |
1998 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Prasit Bikash Khisa | Left-wing | |
Outlawed parties
[edit]| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | Legal status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maoist Bolshevik Reorganization Movement of the Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party | 2001 | Far-left | Outlawed | [14][15] | ||
| Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party | 1971 | Communism Maoism | Anwar Kabir | Far-left | Banned | [16] |
| Purba Banglar Communist Party | 1968 | Tipu Biswas | Far-left | Banned | [17] | |
| Kuki-Chin National Front | 2008 | Autonomy of Kuki-Chin people | Nathan Bom | Banned | [18][19] |
Unregistered parties
[edit]- Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
- Bangladesh Popular Party
- Bangladesh Social Democratic Party
- Jatiya Ganotantrik Party
- Krishak Sramik Party
- National Citizen Party
- National Revolutionary Council
- Am Jonotar Dol (আম জনতার দল)
Defunct parties
[edit]- Awami League (Mizan)
- Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (1983–1991)
- Bangladesh National Congress
- Jatiya League
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "YouTube" আওয়ামী লীগ ও বিএনপি দুটোই মধ্যপন্থী রাজনৈতিক দল | AL & BNP are both Centrist Parties. YouTube (in Bengali). Bobby Hajjaj. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Bangladesh students who deposed PM Hasina form party to fight elections". Al Jazeera. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "NCP: Who are the top leaders of the new youth-led party". The Business Standard. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ Hasnat, Saif (28 February 2025). "After a Revolution, a Move Toward Politics as Usual in Bangladesh". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh ends caretaker government arrangement". BBC News. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "Leftist parties form new Left Democratic Alliance as general election nears". bdnews24.com. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ বিএনপির ৭ মিত্র গড়লো ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ আশাবাদী গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চের শরিকরা. Jugantor (in Bengali). 11 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ ‘গণবিক্ষোভের’ হুঁশিয়ারি গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চের. bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 11 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ ৭ দলের নতুন রাজনৈতিক শক্তি ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’. jagonews24.com (in Bengali). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ আসছে নতুন জোট ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ'. Deutsche Welle (in Bengali). 30 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’: নেতারাই ‘কনফিউজড’!. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Bangladesh Election Commission".
- ^ "5 killed in series of 'gunfights'". Prothom Alo. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Report, Star Online (5 November 2015). "3 killed in separate 'gunfights'". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Regional Information Base on Terrorism :: Terrorism news, Chronology, Organization Profiles". 22 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Terrorist Group, Bangladesh". South Asia Terrorism Portal. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Who are these Kuki-Chin armies in the CHT?". 10 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "In Chattogram Hill Tracts, a new group of armed insurgents is making waves. Who are they?". 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
