With national parliamentary elections on the horizon, political parties in Bangladesh are ramping up preparations, despite no official announcement from the interim government. A total of 53 political parties are registered with the Election Commission, and nearly half are targeting candidates for all 300 constituencies.

In interviews with Bangladesh Pratidin, leaders from 20 parties expressed their intent to contest independently. Historically, the two dominant parties, Awami League and BNP, have struggled to field candidates in all constituencies due to alliances and vote-sharing arrangements. Notably, the Islami Andolan Bangladesh (Charmonai Pir) remains the only party to have successfully contested in all 300 constituencies, albeit with one candidate’s affidavit declared invalid, leading to participation in 299 contests.

Newly registered parties such as Gana Odhikar Parishad (GOP) and Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) are similarly seeking to nominate candidates in 300 constituencies, reflecting a broader trend of political reorientation in the lead-up to the elections.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed, Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP and spokesperson of the party, told Bangladesh Pratidin, “It is not yet certain when and how the elections will be held. The party will decide how to participate when the election process begins. But now the party is being organized across the country with a focus on 300 constituencies.”

Jamaat-e-Islami's Nayeb Amir's Professor Mujibur Rahman said in the District Jamaat's Rukon Conference at Zilla Parishad Auditorium in Sonargaon, Narayanganj, “Jamaat is preparing to field candidates in 300 seats in the upcoming parliamentary elections.”

Nurul Haque Nur, president of Gana Odhikar Parishad told Bangladesh Pratidin, “The people of the country want change.” Want to see young leadership. Only the young generation can give people something new. And we believe that we can do it. When the elections are held, we will set candidates in all 300 seats. The change that people want, we are the only hope for that change.

Not only BNP-Jamaat-AB Party- Gana Odhikar Parishad, but also Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, Khilafat Majlis, Jamiat Ulamae Islam, Islamic Front Bangladesh, LDP, Jatiya Party-JP, Krishak Sramik Janata League, Workers Party, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSAD, Bangladesh Jasad, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, Bangladesh Jatiya Party-BJP, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, National People's Party-NPP, Gano Forum, Gano Front, Kalyan Party, Islami Oikyajot, Bangladesh Islami Front, Bangladesh Nationalist Front-BNF, Nationalist Democratic Movement- NDM, Trinamool BNP, Gana Sanghati Andolan - are making organizational preparations to field candidates in 300 seats. Apart from this, various political parties are announcing their candidature for 300 constituencies apart from the registered parties.

Jatiya Party, which has been in opposition for three consecutive times during the rule of Awami League, is also known to hold the next parliamentary elections alone. Mir Abdus Sabur Asud, Additional Secretary General and Presidium member of the party told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader is strengthening the organization throughout the country in the future. When the election process officially starts, the party chairman will be single based on the opinion of the central leaders Do not make alliances - decide on that according to the situation.”

Ahmed Abdul Qayyum, dawah and publicity secretary of Islami Andolon Bangladesh, said, “The party is being organized from the grassroots level with the aim of voting alone in the upcoming parliamentary elections. We will field candidates in all 300 constituencies.”

After the collapse of the Awami League government on August 5, Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus took the charge of the interim government. His government gave importance to the reform of the state. He held three rounds of meetings with political parties for this. Parties are seeking election roadmap. Some parties also want to spend time on reforms. Although the elections are not immediate, the election mood has started among all but some of the ousted Awami League and their allies. Almost every party is conducting organizational activities across the country around the elections.

Potential candidates for the parliamentary seats have also been proactive as the election campaign has started. They are participating in various political programs. Their activities have also increased in social activities. Potential candidates are trying to attract the attention of central leaders in various ways. Even though BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami are fighting together in the movement to overthrow the Awami League government, the two parties may face each other in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

There is Strong discussion in the political circles that BNP’s erstwhile ally Jamaat is becoming a strong opponent of them in the 13th parliamentary elections. It is not yet clear whether the BNP will vote alone or together with its movement partners. However, Jamaat-e-Islami has announced party candidates for 300 constituencies. Apart from this, the Jamaat is planning to form an alliance with the anti-Awami Islamic parties ahead of the election.

Although these two parties have been together for almost 25 years, the BNP-Jamaat conflict came to the fore after the fall of the Hasina government in the August 5 student uprising. The leaders of the two parties are giving speeches taunting each other. BNP wants the election as soon as possible, but the Jamaat telling the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus not to press for elections.

Jamaat leaders said that since the Awami League, which was deposed in the mass coup, is not in the field and the current situation does not change until the polls, the next election may be 'BNP vs Jamaat'. There is also a plan to form an electoral alliance to rival BNP with all the opposition parties of Awami League. For this purpose, Jamaat-e-Islami is making various plans ahead of the elections. Apart from the religious parties, the party wants to side with the parties that once had a simultaneous movement with the BNP and participated in the student uprising. Jamaat plans to transform these parties into an electoral alliance by bringing them together on a platform.

In the meantime, efforts are being made to hold a meeting with the parties that were simultaneously protesting against the previous Awami League government. Jamaat-e-Islami also promises to make all the small and big parties share the power if it forms the government in the future.

Mahmudur Rahman Manna, the top leader of Ganatantra Mancha and president of the Nagorik Oikya, told Bangladesh Pratidin, “Whatever the party or coalition says, our target is to vote in 300 constituencies. However, how the voting will be done is not yet final. A decision will be taken in time.”

Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) Secretary General Mominul Amin said, “We will give qualified candidates in 300 seats. We are looking for candidates who embody the aspirations of a new Bangladesh.”

He said that they were on the streets with the BNP in the movement to overthrow the Sheikh Hasina government. The final decision will be taken according to the situation whether the BNP votes as a coalition or not.

Rashed Khan, General Secretary of Gana Odhikar Parishad, said, “The party will give candidates for 300 seats in the next election. People want young leadership. We want at least 150 young parliamentarians in the national parliament. The youth will only agitate and others will take the opportunity, it cannot happen. Youth will lead the country forward.”

Feroz Mohammad, chairman of the Jatiyatabadi Pragatishil Jot, said that his party is organizing with the aim of voting in 300 seats. He said that various programs are being carried out on the 21 point. He hopes to publish the list of candidates for 300 seats after the conference in January.

(Translated by Tanvir Raihan)