As Bangladesh moves closer to the next national parliamentary election, parties such as the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP) are already active on the campaign trail. In contrast, the Awami League’s political ally, the Jatiya Party, finds itself in a state of deep uncertainty over whether it will take part in the polls at all. Despite this ambiguity, the party has begun preliminary candidate selection and election preparations, saying it will enter the race in full force if it receives a “green signal” to participate.
The Jatiya Party does not want to contest the election alone. Instead, it is keen on forming an alliance and has expressed interest in joining hands with either the BNP or Jamaat-e-Islami.
Party Secretary General Shamim Haider Patwary told the media that contesting the election as part of an alliance would increase the Jatiya Party’s number of seats, while also boosting votes and seats for its alliance partner. According to him, the current uncertainty surrounding participation may ease once the election schedule is announced, at which point discussions on alliances could formally begin.
The Election Commission has announced that it will start holding a series of dialogues with political parties from Thursday in preparation for the polls. However, it remains unclear whether the Jatiya Party will be invited to those talks. Due to internal factional disputes, the party has formed a separate committee through a council and submitted it to the relevant authorities. The Election Commission has stated that it will consider dialogue or decisions on participation only after the Jatiya Party resolves its internal crisis.
Meanwhile, the party’s election preparations are under way. The election schedule is expected to be announced in December. The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have already finalised candidates in various constituencies, while the NCP—formed by students who led the mass uprising—has also begun selecting candidates.
Since losing power, the Awami League’s political activities have been banned and its registration suspended, leaving its election plans unclear. Over the past year, several attempts by the party to hold rallies were blocked by police. There have also been attacks and clashes at Jatiya Party offices. Despite these challenges, the Jatiya Party has started preparing candidates for all 300 seats.
Shamim Haider Patwary said preparations are under way for all constituencies, though the final list will be announced soon. He added that if participation is ultimately confirmed, the party may still decide not to field candidates in every seat, depending on political circumstances.
GLIVE/TSN