With the 12th Jatiya Sangsad election slated for January 7 only three weeks away, the country’s political parties are passing hectic days getting preparations for the election. Members of the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance as well as the main opposition the Jatiya Party are trying to get as many seats as possible through a series of meetings with AL top brass.
The AL has primarily decided to share seven seats with its alliance partners, disclosed the 14-party alliance coordinator Amir Hossain Amu on December 14 (Thursday) emerging out of a meeting with the allies. It was the third meeting between the AL and its allies regarding seat sharing. Amu said the decision made over the sharing of parliamentary seats is not final yet, and the final decision will be revealed on December 17.
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List of the 7 seats
| SEATS | EARLIER MEMBERS | NEW MEMBERS FROM THE 14 PARTY ALLIANCE |
| Kushtia-2 | (This seat was kept empty by AL) | Hasanul Haq Inu (JSD) |
| Lakshmipur-4 | Faridun Nahar Laily (AL) | Mosharraf hosen (JSD) |
| Bogura-4 | Md Helal Uddin Kabiraj (AL) | AKM Rezaul Karim Tansen (JSD) |
| Rajshahi-2 | Mohammad Ali Kamal (AL) | Fazle Hossain Badsha (Workers Party) |
| Satkhira-1 | Firoz Ahmed Swapan (AL) | Mostafa Lutfullah Ahsan (Workers Party) |
| Barishal-3 | (AL) | Rashed khan menon (Workers Party) |
| Pirojpur-2 | Kanai Lal Biswas (AL) | Anwar Hossain Manju Jatiya Party (Manju) |
Reactions from Alliance Members
Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari, chairman of the Tariqat Federation and also a current lawmaker from Chattogram-2 constituency, said, “AL’s recent seat-sharing announcement is not the final one. Expressing trust in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he hoped that the PM would allocate the seats for the Tariqat Federation similar to previous elections.”
Informing that Tariqat had requested five seats, he hoped that the PM would not disappoint them.Even if no seats are allocated, he said, we won’t be dissatisfied as we have confidence in the decisions made by the PM.
Meanwhile, JSD President Hasanul Haque Inu said, “We are not satisfied with the three seats allotted for us as we demanded more seats.”
14-party alliance and seat-sharing
The 14-party grand alliance, led by the country’s oldest political party Awami League, is one of the oldest political alliances in Bangladesh. The political alliance was formed in 2004 with pro-liberation war political parties to counter the political violence orchestrated by BNP-Jamaat.
In 2009, the grand alliance led by AL, came to power securing a one-third majority and incorporating leaders from the alliance members into the cabinet.
The practice continued even after the 2014 elections also, with the country’s veteran politicians like Dilip Barua, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haque Inu, and Anwar Hossain Manju serving as ministers for two consecutive terms.
Since 2008, all the members of the 14-party alliance have been participating in the national elections together. In the last election of 2018, eight leaders of the partner parties were elected lawmakers taking part in the election using the boat symbol, the electoral symbol of the AL. In the upcoming national polls, the top leaders of the 14-party alliance are in favor of vying for the election using the boat symbol.
In 2008 and 2014, the 14-party alliances won the election. In 2018 polls, the 14-party alliance fielded 13 candidates and of them, 8 candidates were elected MPs.
On November 26 this year, at a press conference at the AL’s party office in the capital, General Secretary Obaidul Quader officially announced the name of AL candidates for 298 seats, leaving Narayanganj-5 and Kushtia-2 seats vacant.
It was widely anticipated that the AL intentionally left those seats vacant for alliance partners. However, party sources said that the ruling party will not interfere with AL leaders becoming independent candidates in those constituencies.
Election Schedule
According to the election schedule, the deadline for withdrawal of candidature for this election is December 17. The returning officers will allot the symbols on December 18, the date scheduled for the beginning of the election campaign which will continue till 8 am on January 5. Voting will be held on January 7, according to the election schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal on November 15.
Apart from this, the last date for submission of nomination papers was November 30, the scrutiny of nomination papers will be held from December 1 to 4, and appeals and disposal of cancellation of nominations from December 6 to 15.
Among the 44 political parties registered in the Election Commission, the candidates of 29 parties, including AL and Jatiya Party, are coming to the polls. On the other hand, 15 political parties including BNP have no candidates in this election.
Importance of 14-party alliance
The 14-party alliance has a historical role of solidarity against autocratic rule and restoring democracy. During the 2006 political crisis in Bangladesh, the AL allied with like-minded political parties to oppose the then-caretaker government, advocating for free and fair elections. The alliance was formed in response to the perceived authoritarianism and efforts to undermine democratic principles. The AL, along with its alliance partners, aims to strengthen democratic institutions and resist any attempts to curtail democratic practices.
In a multi-party political system like Bangladesh, forming alliances is a common strategy to consolidate political power. The 14-party alliance allows the AL to leverage the strengths and support bases of various parties, enhancing its electoral prospects. The alliance includes parties with diverse ideological backgrounds, which helps the AL present itself as a coalition that represents a wide range of political views. This inclusivity can be appealing to voters seeking a diverse and representative government.
In conclusion, it can be said that the Awami League’s decision to allocate seven seats to its alliance partners in the January 7 general election has a strategic perspective. Established in 2004, the alliance has been pivotal in Bangladesh’s democratic history, particularly during the 2006 political crisis when it acted as a platform of solidarity against autocracy. The alliance fosters consensus on key policy issues, enhancing stability, and governance efficiency as well as enabling the Awami League to counterbalance opposition influence. As the final seat-sharing decision awaits announcement on December 17, the alliance remains crucial for the Awami League’s commitment to national unity and democratic principles.
