The 12^th national parliamentary election will be held at the last of this year or at the beginning of next year. So, it will be the last month of Ramadan the countrymen has got prior to this election. Hence, all the political parties including Awami League and BNP have paid their attention to politics centered on iftar tables instead of doing it on the as usual political fields.

The politics will get a new dimension right now over meeting and discussions in iftar parties. Awami League is not going to arrange iftar programme in pompous manner; However, they’ve plan to arrange it parties with people of different class and profession under the supervision of their sub-committees. Each year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina holds iftar parties for the orphan children, intellectuals, and leaders of political parties at Ganabhaban, but this time they have no plan yet in this regard.

According to the sources, both the main parties will try to strengthen diplomatic relations, organizational strength and alliance alliances through discussions at the Iftar table. They want to use this opportunity to get prepared to achieve their political goals in the last Ramadan before the national elections. Besides, BNP will want to complete the final preparations for the one-stage movement to bring down the government. Awami League will try to strengthen the different associations of the party and its allies and fraternal organizations by keeping the elections ahead. Allies of the government and the opposition will be on the field with new goals.

Awami League: The ruling Awami League will focus on a different strategy in iftar politics this time ahead of the parliamentary elections. There will not be any arrangement in the Iftar politics of the party. Hence, according to the leaders of the party, keeping in mind the global pandemic, Iftar politics has been narrowed down. The money that will be spent on Iftar will be distributed among the poor and needy people by buying daily products including rice and pulses. And the party's MP-ministers and nominees will forge relations with grassroots leaders and workers. They will also hold Iftar in the area as well as conduct mass communication, distribute food, iftar items and saree-lungi among the poor people on the occasion of Eid.

Iftar politics will be taken very seriously this time due to the upcoming 12th National Assembly elections. Potential candidates of the party will also foster the preparations for the election with a crowded Iftar party. Apart from this, the main objective will be to improve the relationship between leaders and workers at all levels.

In this context, Awami League presidium member Dr. Mustafa Jalal Mohiuddin told The Bangladesh Pratidin, "I will perform social and religious rituals in the holy month of Ramadan according to religious rules and work on how to be close to the common people, because Ramadan is the month of austerity.”

It is known that although the Awami League does not participate in the Iftar centrally, the Iftar will be organized at the initiative of the subsidiary organizations, thana an district units of the Awami League. Apart from this, associate-fraternal organizations will organize Iftar. Jatiya Party, like-minded parties and alliances of BNP and smaller parties outside the alliance also want to be active in the political arena by organizing Iftar parties. Moreover, various political parties including Jasad, Workers Party, Basad, CPB, Democratic Party, NAP (Mozaffar), Democratic Labor Party, Samyabadi Dal will also organize Iftar party. Even if it is small, there will be a discussion in the political circles which will work for them.

BNP: As it is the last Ramadan before the national parliamentary election, the BNP will also be present at the Iftar parties in continuation of their field program. Top leaders will attend these events throughout the month under the banner of parties and organizations. They’ll try to increase the strength of the party through discussions at the Iftar table. Besides, they’re taking it as a medium to reenergize the movement to bring down the government and forge friendship with diplomats. Foreign ambassadors stationed in Bangladesh will be invited there. BNP will also participate in the Iftar program of like-minded parties.

Senior member of the BNP standing committee, Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain said, "Our movement is going on with 10-point demands including elections under the non-partisan caretaker government. As per the expectations of the people, the movement program will continue along with the iftar party in Ramadan.”

According to the party sources, on the occasion of Ramadan, BNP will be on a break from field programs for one month. As part of this, the new program has not been given since the last protest rally of the simultaneous movement. However, iftar parties, discussion meetings and other programs will continue. BNP has taken Ramadan as a month for party and organizational preparation to realize 10-point demands, as the high command wants to launch a big movement after Ramadan, not before it.  As part of that, relations with associate organizations and alliances will be strengthened through Iftar-centric politics. Besides, the party will strengthen relations with various professionals and diplomats of influential countries to get support for their movement. BNP will organize an iftar party in their honor. As a result, the party is giving special importance to iftar as part of domestic politics.

According to sources, BNP will organize at least four iftar party this time like what they did last year. Firstly, Iftar party will be arranged for orphans and scholars, in addition to in honor of professionals, leaders of various political parties and diplomats along with the participants of the simultaneous movement.

Apart from this, iftar party will be organized by Dhaka Metropolitan North and South BNP, Jubo Dal, Chhatra Dal, Krishak Dal, Swachhasebak Dal, Mahila Dal, Ziaur Rahman Foundation, Doctors Association of Bangladesh (DAB) and various professional organizations supported by BNP. They wants to organize iftar party in all divisions, districts and upazila levels of the country in addition to the center to keep the leaders and workers active.

@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on March 24 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque