List of political parties in Bangladesh
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Since the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, Bangladesh has a fading two-party system, which means that two political parties dominate the general elections, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of another party.
Although the AL and BNP dominated Bangladeshi politics for a long time, the two have led coalitions of like-minded parties multiple times, with traditionally the AL leading the left-of-centre parties and the BNP rallying the right-of-centre parties.[1]
After the fall of the Awami League government following the July Revolution on 5 August 2024, a new political party named National Citizen Party (NCP) was established on 28 February 2025 as the first student-led political party in the history of Bangladesh.[2][3][4]
History
[edit]The current parliamentary system in the country was established in 1991 and is modeled after the Westminster system. Prior to this, the nation experienced a period of military rule from 1975 to 1990. In response to demands from the two major political parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a caretaker government was introduced in 1990 following the resignation of military ruler Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was appointed as the Chief Advisor and oversaw the 1991 general election.
The caretaker government is led by a Chief Advisor who holds powers similar to those of a regular prime minister, with the exception of defense matters. The Advisors function in roles akin to ministers. Following the 1991 elections, caretaker governments also facilitated the elections in 1996, 2001, and 2008. Initially intended to support the transition from authoritarianism to democracy, the caretaker system was institutionalized in 1996 by the Sixth Parliament due to increasing mistrust between the BNP and AL.
In 2011, the Awami League, then in power, abolished the caretaker government system. This decision has since been a significant point of contention between Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party, contributing to ongoing political disputes.[5]
Alliances
[edit]Grand Alliance
[edit]The Grand Alliance (Bengali: মহাজোট) is an alliance of political parties in Bangladesh that was formed in 2008. It consist of the Awami League, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Ganatantri Dol, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) (Barua) and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh.
The Liberal Democratic Party left the Grand Alliance before the election and contested independently. It joined the 18 Party Alliance in 2012.
Left Democratic Alliance
[edit]The Left Democratic Alliance is an alliance of eight leftist political parties including Communist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Communist League of Bangladesh, Ganatantrik Biplobi Party, Bam Gonotantrik Andolon and Ganosanhati Andolan.[6]
Ganatantra Manch
[edit]Ganatantra Manch (Bengali: গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ) is a political alliance consisting of six political parties in Bangladesh. The alliance announced its formation on 8 August 2024[7][8][9] and consists of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab), the Nagrik Oikya, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, the Bhasani Anusari Parishad, the Rastro Songskar Andolon and the Ganosanhati Andolan.[10][11] The Gono Odhikar Parishad was initially with the alliance, but in May 2023 they pulled out of the alliance. Among them, only the JSD (Rab) and the Revolutionary Workers Party are registered with the Bangladesh Election Commission.[12]
Registered parties
[edit]These are all the parties that are currently registered under Election Commission.[13]
| No. | Name | Founded | Symbol | Ideology | Leader | Political position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LDP | Liberal Democratic Party লিবারেল ডেমোক্রেটিক পার্টি |
2006 | _-_The_Noun_Project.svg)
|
Economic liberalism National conservatism |
Oli Ahmad | Centre-right | |
| 2 | JP-M | Jatiya Party (Manju) জাতীয় পার্টি (মঞ্জু) |
2014 | 
|
Anwar Hossain Manju | Centre-right | ||
| 3 | BSD-ML | Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal বাংলাদেশের সাম্যবাদী দল |
|
Dilip Barua | Far-left | |||
| 4 | KSJL | Krishak Sramik Janata League কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগ |
1999 | Bangabir Kader Siddique | Centre-left | |||
| 5 | CPB | Communist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি |
1968 | 
|
Shah Alam | Far-left | ||
| 6 | AL | Bangladesh Awami League বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ |
1949 | 
|
Sheikh Hasina | Big tent | ||
| 7 | BNP | Bangladesh Nationalist Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল |
1978 | 
|
Khaleda Zia | Centre to centre-right | ||
| 8 | GP | Ganatantri Party গণতন্ত্রী পার্টি |
Secularism | Md Arash Ali | ||||
| 9 | NAP | National Awami Party ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি |
1967 | Socialism | Amina Ahmed | |||
| 10 | WPB | Workers Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি |
1980 | Rashed Khan Menon | Far-left | |||
| 11 | BDB | Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh বিকল্পধারা বাংলাদেশ |
2004 | A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury | Centre | |||
| 12 | JP-E | Jatiya Party (Ershad) জাতীয় পার্টি (এরশাদ) |
1986 | 
|
GM Quader | Centre-right | ||
| 13 | JASAD | Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল |
1972 | 
|
Socialism | Hasanul Haque Inu | Left-wing | |
| 14 | JI | Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী |
1941 | 
|
Islamism Pan-Islamism Social conservatism Right-wing populism |
Shafiqur Rahman | Right-wing | |
| 15 | JSD | Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab) জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল |
2002 | 
|
Socialism | A.S.M Abdur Rab | Left | |
| 16 | ZP | Zaker Party জাকের পার্টি |
|
Sufism | Mustafa Amir Faisal | Right wing | ||
| 17 | SPB | Socialist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল |
1980 | 
|
Comrade Bazlur Rashid Firoz | Left | ||
| 18 | BJP | Bangladesh Jatiya Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি |
2001 | .png){kind=small}
|
Nationalism | Barrister Andaleeve Rahman Partho | Centre | |
| 19 | BTF | Bangladesh Tarikat Federation বাংলাদেশ তরিকত ফেডারেশন |
2005 | Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari | Right-wing | |||
| 20 | BKF | Khilafat Andolan বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত আন্দোলন |
1981 | 
|
Islamic democracy | Mawlana Ataullah | Right | |
| 21 | BML | Bangladesh Muslim League বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ |
1906 | 
|
Muslim nationalism | Jubeda Kader Chaudhuri | ||
| 22 | NPP | National People's Party ন্যাশনাল পিপলস্ পার্টি |
Sheikh Salauddin Salu | |||||
| 23 | JUI | Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh জমিয়তে উলামায়ে ইসলাম বাংলাদেশ |
Islamic democracy | Sheikh Zia Uddin | ||||
| 24 | GF | Gano Forum গণফোরাম |
1992 | Secularism | Kamal Hossain | Centre | ||
| 25 | GF | Gano Front গণফ্রন্ট |
1995 | Secularism | Jakir Hossain | Left wing | ||
| 26 | BDNAP | Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bhasani) বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি-বাংলাদেশ ন্যাপ |
2006 | Socialism | Jebel Rahman Ghaani | |||
| 27 | BJP | Bangladesh Jatiya Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি |
M. A. Mukit | |||||
| 28 | IFB | Islamic Front Bangladesh ইসলামিক ফ্রন্ট বাংলাদেশ |
|
Mujaddedism | Bahadur Shah Mujaddedi | |||
| 29 | BKP | Bangladesh Kalyan Party বাংলাদেশ কল্যাণ পার্টি |
Sayad Muhammad Ibrahim | |||||
| 30 | IOJ | Islami Oikya Jote ইসলামী ঐক্যজোট |
Islamic democracy | Abul Hasnat Amini | ||||
| 31 | BKM | Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত মজলিস |
1989 | Islamic democracy | Habibur Rahman | |||
| 32 | IAB | Islami Andolan Bangladesh ইসলামী আন্দোলন বাংলাদেশ |
1987 | 
|
Syed Rezaul Karim | |||
| 33 | BIF | Bangladesh Islami Front বাংলাদেশ ইসলামী ফ্রন্ট |
1990 | 
|
Sunni Sufism | M.A. Matin | ||
| 34 | BBWP | Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party বাংলাদেশের বিপ্লবী ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি |
2004 | Saiful Haq | ||||
| 35 | KM | Khelafat Majlish খেলাফত মজলিস |
1989 | Islamic democracy | Mawlana Mohammad Ishaq | |||
| 36 | BML-BML | Bangladesh Muslim League-BML বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ-বিএমএল |
Muslim nationalism | A.H.M. Kamruzzaman | ||||
| 37 | Muktijot | Bangladesh Sanskritik Muktijot বাংলাদেশ সাংস্কৃতিক মুক্তিজোট |
Abu Layes Munna | |||||
| 38 | BNF | Bangladesh Nationalist Front বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনালিস্ট ফ্রন্ট |
2012 | Secularism | M.A. Abul Kalam Azad | |||
| 39 | NDM | Jatiotabadi Ganatantrik Andolon জাতীয়তাবাদী গণতান্ত্রিক আন্দোলন |
2017 | .png){kind=small}
|
Bobby Hajjaj | |||
| 40 | BC | Bangladesh Congress বাংলাদেশ কংগ্রেস |
2013 | Secularism | Kazi Rezaul Hossain | |||
| 41 | Grassroots BNP | Grassroots Bangladesh Nationalist Party তৃণমূল বিএনপি |
2015 | Secularism | Nazmul Huda | |||
| 42 | Insaniyat | Humanity Revolution Bangladesh ইনসানিয়াত বিপ্লব বাংলাদেশ |
2010 | Humanitarian | Allama Imam Hayat | |||
| 43 | BDJSD | Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Bangladesh JASAD) বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জাসদ |
2023 | 
|
Socialism | Sharif Nurul Ambia | Left | |
| 44 | BNM | Bangladesh Nationalist Movement বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী আন্দোলন |
2023 | Bangladeshi nationalism | Abdur Rahman | Center to Centre-right | ||
| 45 | BSP | Bangladesh Supreme Party বাংলাদেশ সুপ্রিম পার্টি |
2019 | Sufism (Maizbhandarism) | Sayed Saifuddin Ahmed | Right-wing | ||
| 46 | AB PARTY | Amar Bangladesh Party আমার বাংলাদেশ পার্টি |
2020 | 
|
Mojibur Rahman Monju | Centre | ||
| 47 | GOP | Gono Odhikar Parishad গণঅধিকার পরিষদ-জিওপি |
2021 | 
|
Progressivism | Nurul Haq Nur | Centre | |
| 48 | NO | Nagorik Oikko নাগরিক ঐক্য |
2012 | 
|
Mahmudur Rahman Manna | Left-wing | ||
| 49 | GSA | Ganosanhati Andolan গণসংহতি আন্দোলন |
2002 | 
|
Egalitarianism | Zonayed Saki | Left-wing | |
| 50 | BDP | Bangladesh Development Party বাংলাদেশ ডেভেলপমেন্ট পার্টি |
2022 | AKM Anwarul Islam Chand | ||||
Regional parties
[edit]| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCJSS | Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম জনসংহতি সমিতি |
1972 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Shantu Larma | Left-wing | |
| UPDF | United People's Democratic Front ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট |
1998 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Prasit Bikash Khisa | Left-wing | |
Outlawed parties
[edit]| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | Legal status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maoist Bolshevik Reorganization Movement of the Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party | 2001 | Communism Maoism | Far-left | Outlawed | [14][15] | |
| Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party | 1971 | Communism Maoism | Anwar Kabir | Far-left | Banned | [16] |
| Purba Banglar Communist Party | 1968 | Tipu Biswas | Far-left | Banned | [17] | |
| Kuki-Chin National Front | 2008 | Autonomy of Kuki-Chin people | Nathan Bom | Banned | [18][19] |
Unregistered parties
[edit]- Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami
- Bangladesh Popular Party
- Bangladesh Social Democratic Party
- Jatiya Ganotantrik Party
- Krishak Sramik Party
- National Citizen Party
- National Revolutionary Council
Defunct parties
[edit]- Awami League (Mizan)
- Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (1983–1991)
- Bangladesh National Congress
- Jatiya League
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Jatiya Party to contest the national polls with grand alliance". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh students who deposed PM Hasina form party to fight elections". Al Jazeera. 28 February 2025. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "NCP: Who are the top leaders of the new youth-led party". The Business Standard. 27 February 2025. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
- ^ Hasnat, Saif (28 February 2025). "After a Revolution, a Move Toward Politics as Usual in Bangladesh". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 February 2025.
- ^ "Bangladesh ends caretaker government arrangement". BBC News. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2025.
- ^ "Leftist parties form new Left Democratic Alliance as general election nears". bdnews24.com. 19 July 2018. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
- ^ বিএনপির ৭ মিত্র গড়লো ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ আশাবাদী গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চের শরিকরা. Jugantor (in Bengali). 11 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ ‘গণবিক্ষোভের’ হুঁশিয়ারি গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চের. bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 11 August 2022. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- ^ ৭ দলের নতুন রাজনৈতিক শক্তি ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’. jagonews24.com (in Bengali). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ আসছে নতুন জোট ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ'. Deutsche Welle (in Bengali). 30 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’: নেতারাই ‘কনফিউজড’!. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Bangladesh Election Commission".
- ^ "5 killed in series of 'gunfights'". Prothom Alo. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ Report, Star Online (5 November 2015). "3 killed in separate 'gunfights'". The Daily Star. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Regional Information Base on Terrorism :: Terrorism news, Chronology, Organization Profiles". 22 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Purba Banglar Communist Party (PBCP) Terrorist Group, Bangladesh". South Asia Terrorism Portal. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "Who are these Kuki-Chin armies in the CHT?". 10 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
- ^ "In Chattogram Hill Tracts, a new group of armed insurgents is making waves. Who are they?". 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
