Political Division Reaches Peak Ahead Of Election

Politics At A Crossroads: Allies Turn Rivals As Election Nears

In Politics, It Is Difficult To Predict When A Friend Becomes A Foe, Or When An Enemy Turns Into An Ally. Once Close Partners Now Find Themselves Opposed. The Unity Seen During The July Uprising Has Given Way To Visible Divisions. With The 13th National Parliamentary Election Approaching, Political Polarization Has Reached Its Peak. As The Government-Declared Election Schedule For February Draws Near, Tensions Continue To Escalate.

Despite Lengthy Discussions, Political Parties Have Failed To Agree On How To Implement The July Charter. BNP Favors Addressing The Charter’s Constitutional Issues Through The Next Parliament, While Jamaat-E-Islami, Islami Andolon, And Several Others Demand Its Legal Recognition Before Elections Are Held. Disagreements Also Persist Between BNP And Other Parties Over Proportional Representation (PR) Voting, Banning Jatiya Party, And Dissolving The 14-Party Alliance.

As A Result, Seven Parties, Including Jamaat And Islami Andolon, Have Launched A Three-Day Street Program Demanding February Elections Under The July Charter. This Move Has Heightened Concerns Over The Electoral Climate. Meanwhile, BNP Is Watching Closely, Determined Not To Be Drawn Into Any Trap That Could Disrupt The Polls.

Seven Parties On The Streets
The National Consensus Commission, Formed To Restructure The State System, Has Been Engaged In Dialogue With Political Parties Since March. Yet Despite Multiple Formal And Informal Meetings, No Agreement Has Been Reached On The Charter’s Implementation. Against This Backdrop, Seven Parties Began A Three-Day Protest On Thursday, Calling For February Elections Based On The Charter. These Parties Include Jamaat-E-Islami, Islami Andolon, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Khelafat Majlish, Nezame Islam Party, Khelafat Andolon, And Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA).

Separately, NCP, AB Party, And Gana Adhikar Parishad Announced Their Own Programs Centered On A Four-Point Demand (Excluding PR). Though These Groups Insist They Are Not United Against BNP, Questions Are Growing About Whether They Are Forming An Alternative Bloc. With Dialogue Stalled, Street Protests Could Give Jamaat And Its Allies Greater Bargaining Power. They Insist Their Movement Is Not Against Any Particular Party But For The People, And That The Government Must Give The July Charter Legal Status.

BNP’s Cautious Stance
BNP Leaders Are Monitoring Jamaat And Other Parties’ Protests With Concern, Warning That Such Movements Could Destabilize National Politics. They Argue That If BNP Responds With Counter-Mobilizations, Instability Could Return And Street Clashes Might Break Out.

Although Jamaat And Its Allies Claim Their Agitation Targets The Government, BNP Leaders Believe The Real Conflict Lies With BNP Over Issues Such As February Elections Under The Charter, PR Voting, And Banning Jatiya Party. They Suspect That These Movements Aim To Build A Parallel Political Bloc To Challenge BNP’s Position.

BNP Maintains It Does Not Want An Overheated Political Environment That Could Hurt The Economy Or Daily Life. Party Leaders Say Certain Groups May Be Trying To Create Unrest Ahead Of The Polls. With The 13th National Election Approaching, BNP Vows To Exercise Maximum Patience, Stressing That Like Chief Adviser Prof. Dr. Muhammad Yunus, It Too Wants To See The Election Become A Festive And Historic Event.

Still, The Party Fears That Street Movements Could Spark Clashes And Even Delay The Election. Since The Fall Of The Sheikh Hasina Government, Various Protests Have Erupted, But This Marks The First Time Parties Have Mobilized Collectively. In This Fluid Situation, Pro-Uprising Forces Must Pursue Dialogue To Preserve Unity. Without Compromise, The Crisis Risks Spinning Out Of Control—Opening The Door For Defeated Forces To Exploit Political Divisions.