by Partha Pratim Bhattacharjee/Ashik Abdullah Apu in The Daily Star, Mar 14, 2023
Left-leaning parties in the ruling Awami League-led 14-party alliance yesterday took a firm stance against any possible inclusion of Islamist political parties in the combine.
Even an Islamist political party, Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, opposed inclusion of any other Islamist party in the alliance.
Partners of the 14-party alliance expressed their reservations in this regard at a meeting at the New Eskaton house of the combine coordinator Amir Hossain Amu in the capital.
Alliance partners criticised the AL government for failing to control the price hike of essentials, the ruling party’s unilateral election campaign, seeking vote for its electoral symbol “boat”, and not taking any initiatives to make the alliance effective at the grassroots, said meeting sources.
Representatives of Workers Party, Tariqat Federation, Communist Kendra and Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal expressed their reservations about possible inclusion of any Islamist party in the combine.
In response, Amu assured them that no Islamist party will be included in the alliance since it was formed based on specific principles.
He pledged that the 14-party alliance will remain intact and participate in the national polls unitedly, said sources.
Tariqat Chairman Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari said the parties who were contacting the AL to forge an alliance with it were against the spirit of the Liberation War.
Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon said ideologies of those political parties are against those of the 14-party alliance, and forging an alliance with them is not possible.
In reply, Amu said the Islamist parties who have already expressed their willingness to join the 14-party combine can form a separate alliance, and that it might be included in the AL-led grand alliance.
Menon expressed his reservations about launching of electioneering by the AL unilaterally.
“The Awami League has already started its election campaign, and is seeking vote for ‘boat’. Then where are we? Should we start campaigning on our own? Should we start seeking ‘vote’ for our electoral symbol?” he said.
Amu replied saying that the AL would contest the next general election with its 14-party partners, and that the sharing of seats would be finalised in a meeting between AL President Sheikh Hasina and the alliance partners.
“A lot of time is left to settle everything as the next national election is still eight months away,” said a meeting source, quoting Amu as saying.
Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua told the meeting that AL presidium member Mosharraf Hossain, a lawmaker from Chittagong-1, has announced that he won’t contest the next national election and his son will run for MP.
“Why should it be the son of Mosharraf? Why will I not be given the nomination?” Dilip said.
In response, Amu said, “You were made a minister. We will have to make everybody in the alliance happy.”
Expressing anger over the price hike of essentials, Tariqat Chairman Nazibul Bashar said the government’s measures to bring the prices within the reach of the ordinary people are not enough.
“People don’t want to hear the story of Russia-Ukraine war. It seems that the government has become hostage to businesspeople,” he said.
After the meeting, Amu told reporters that no Islamist party would be included in the 14-party alliance.
About the next polls, the veteran AL leader said the election will be held on time as per the constitution regardless of whether or not the BNP would participate. https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/expanding-14-party-alliance-als-left-partners-say-no-islamist-parties-3270781
