With the interim government announcing that the next national parliamentary election will be held in the first half of February next year, the Election Commission is preparing to announce the election schedule in the first half of December. However, despite the schedule drawing closer, political parties have yet to resolve deadlocks over alliance formation and seat-sharing, with intense negotiations continuing at the last moment.
Discussions with leaders of various parties indicate that at least four electoral alliances are being explored ahead of the polls. The likelihood of any major party contesting the election entirely on its own appears slim. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is moving towards forming a large alliance with like-minded parties, while also negotiating seat-sharing arrangements with several groups outside a formal coalition framework.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh and other ideologically aligned Islamic parties are working to form a separate alliance. The National Citizen Party (NCP) is weighing the option of building a new alliance with a number of parties, while simultaneously maintaining talks with both BNP and Jamaat. At the same time, efforts are underway under the leadership of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) to form a left-wing and progressive alliance.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told the media that discussions with parties involved in the joint movement are ongoing and that there is still time to finalise negotiations before the election schedule is announced. Party sources say that Mirza Fakhrul and standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury have been tasked with overseeing seat-sharing negotiations with alliance partners.
Reliable sources suggest that BNP may leave 20 to 22 seats for parties involved in the joint movement, while agreements with NCP and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis could raise the number of conceded seats to around 40. Jamaat-e-Islami, which has announced candidates in all 300 constituencies, may revise its final list depending on alliance negotiations.
NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary has said that alliances with BNP or Jamaat would depend on their commitment to reforms; otherwise, an alternative reform-oriented alliance may be formed ahead of the election.
Regarding leftist unity, CPB President Sajjad Zahir Chandan said efforts are underway to build a broader front of pro–Liberation War forces, with candidate announcements expected on 25 November.
Party leaders note that the requirement for all parties to contest elections under their own symbols poses a major challenge for smaller allies. Even well-known local leaders may struggle due to unfamiliar party symbols, reducing their chances of victory despite seat-sharing deals. As a result, uncertainty over alliances is likely to persist until the election schedule is formally announced.
GLIVE/TSN