PARTY SYSTEM OF BANGLADESH

 

INTRODUCTION

Bangladesh has a multi-party system, with two dominant parties: the center-left Awami League (AL) and the center-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). While other parties exist, they struggle to compete with the AL and BNP at the national level. The system has been described as a fading two-party system, with the AL and BNP historically dominating elections and making it difficult for other parties to gain traction.

 

On 5 August 2024, Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, fled the country. She had been in the post since 2009 and had won the most recent parliamentary elections in January 2024, though these were boycotted by the opposition parties. An interim government led by economist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus is now running the country.

 

ELECTION PROCEDURE OF BANGLADESH

Bangladesh has a first-past-the-post parliamentary electoral system with single member districts.

Such systems tend to be dominated by two large parties. The center-left Awami League (AL) and the center-right Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) currently dominate the political stage.

Other political parties have had difficulty competing with these two parties at the national level.

As citizens can elect only one representative for their constituency, they are less likely to vote forcandidates from smaller parties that do not have the reach and resources necessary to win at the national level and thereby influence the allocation of resources. Two other parties, the centrist Jatiya Party (JP) and the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), have also played important roles in national politics in spite of their relatively smaller vote shares.

 

ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

In Bangladesh, political parties play a crucial role in the democratic process, despite facing challenges related to internal democracy and public trust. They are the primary actors in elections, forming governments, and shaping public policy. However, concerns exist about the dominance of two major parties, the tendency towards authoritarianism within parties, and the impact of political violence.

1. Core Functions:

• ·       Electoral Participation: Political parties are essential for contesting elections and forming governments. They are registered with the Election Commission to participate in national polls.
• ·       Policy Making: Parties develop and advocate for policies on various issues, influencing the direction of the country.
• ·       Government Formation: The party or coalition that wins a majority in elections forms the government.
• ·       Public Representation: Parties are meant to represent the interests of their constituents and mobilize public support.

 

2. Challenges and Concerns:

• ·       Internal Party Democracy: Parties in Bangladesh often struggle to maintain democratic practices within their own structures, with leadership often concentrated and lacking transparency.
• ·       Public Trust: Political parties face declining public trust due to perceptions of corruption, partisanship, and a lack of accountability.
• ·       Political Violence: Bangladesh has a history of political violence and suppression of opposition parties, impacting the democratic environment.
• ·       Dominance of Two Parties: The political landscape is largely dominated by the AL and BNP, potentially limiting the space for other political actors.
• ·       Radicalization: In the absence of strong secular parties, there are concerns about the rise of radical groups and their influence.

POLITICAL PARTIES

Bangladeshi Political Parties has polarized and almost vertically divided into national identity and political philosophy rather than establishing a stable political system in accordance with the Hoteling-Downs principle of democracy, resulting in prolonged political instability and uncertainty. As a result, it has been more difficult for people to come together and form a unified national identity based on commonalities such as race, language, culture, religion,race, language, culture, religion, geography, or politics.

AWAMI LEAGUE (AL):

Under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman (popularly known as Sheikh Mujib), the AL won the national parliamentary elections of Pakistan in 1970, but President Yahya Khan annulled the results, cracked down on Bengalis in East Pakistan, and arrested Sheikh Mujib in March 1971. After a nine-month-long Liberation War, during which AL leaders formed a provisional government-in-exile, Bangladesh emerged as an independent country on December 16, 1971. Sheikh Mujib, celebrated as Bangabandhu (literally ‘Friend of Bengal’) and the Founder of the Nation, ruled Bangladesh from 1972 until his assassination by army officers in 1975. In 1981, his daughter, Sheikh Hasina, was elected leader of the AL. SheikhHasina served two terms as prime minister from 1996 to 2000 and 2008 to 2013. In January 2014, after the AL claimed victory in elections boycotted by the major opposition party, Sheikh Hasina continued serving as prime minister. A center-left party, the AL initially articulated a platform based on socialism, secularism (non-communalism), Bengali nationalism, and close relations with India and the Soviet Union, but over time, it has embraced economic liberalization, emphasized its commitment to Islam, and strengthened relations with the United States.

 

BANGLADESH NATIONALIST PARTY (BNP):

In 1978, the then president, General Ziaur Rahman, founded the center-right BNP. Ziaur Rahman was the army officer who had declared Bangladesh’s independence on behalf of Sheikh Mujib in March 1971 and taken power after Sheikh Mujib’s assassination in 1975. As a response to the AL’s emphasis on Bengali nationalism, the BNP sought to develop a ‘Bangladeshi nationalism’ that would distinguish Bangladeshi Bengalis from Indian Bengalis and emphasize the Muslim identity of the majority of Bangladesh’s citizens. It also sought to establish stronger relations with the United States and Muslim-majority countries, particularly oil-rich ones, and adopted economic liberalization programs. An umbrella party, the BNP attracted people with grievances against the AL, including military personnel, business people, pro-China leftists, and Islamists. The BNP ruled the country from 1979 to 1981 under Ziaur Rahman and then from 1991 to 1996 and 2001 to 2006 under the leadership of his widow, Khaleda Zia.

 

JATIYA PARTY (JP):

In 1986, Hussain Mohammad Ershad, the former army chief who had taken power in 1982, shortly after Ziaur Rahman’s assassination, founded the JP. Similar to the BNP, the JP advocated economic liberalization and close ties with Muslim countries and the United States. The JP won parliamentary elections in 1986 and 1988 and dominated the parliament under Ershad’s leadership until he resigned in 1990.

 

JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI BANGLADESH (JI):

The JI is Bangladesh’s main Islamist party. During the Liberation War, the JI refused to support freedom fighters and several members collaborated with the Pakistani Army. The 1972 constitution banned religion-based political parties, but Ziaur Rahman allowed the JI to resume political activities. The JI’s vote share in elections has been small, but the BNP has sought (and received) its support to compete against the AL and enabled it to play a disproportionately important role in politics. The JI has made some doctrinal compromises, such as accepting a woman’s political leadership and supporting women’s political participation (Shehabuddin, 2008; interviews, JI members, Dhaka, 2010). It has, however, advocated various restrictions on civil and political liberties. For example, it demanded an anti-blasphemy law in the early 1990s and the declaration of Ahmadiyyas, who self-identify as Muslim, as non-Muslims. The JI’s student wing, the Islami Chhatro Shibir, maintains an active presence on several university campuses. In 2009, the AL-led government set up an International Crimes Tribunal, which convicted several JI leaders for war crimes, amidst accusations from the BNP and JI that the trials sought to incapacitate the opposition rather than serve justice.

CONCLUSION

Bangladesh, in its 54 years of history, has experienced a lot of political turmoil and frequent power struggles. These are due to weak political culture, a winner-takes-all tendency among parties, corruption, the use of government machinery for political gains, and harassment of opposition party workers and leaders. An idealistic attitude at all levels of political leadership has been lacking. Bangladesh’s parliament was dissolved in August post Shiekh Hasina’s plight when the interim government was appointed under Muhammad Yunus. Dates have not been set yet for new elections, with Muhammad Yunus saying his government must implement reforms before they can take place. The current reform proposals being developed by the interim government will only succeed if elected political leaders implement them with sincerity, dedication, and honesty. Therefore, political parties must participate in the ongoing reform process and prepare themselves to shoulder this responsibility. Whether the interim government can carry out other systemic reforms before the planned 2025 elections may determine whether Bangladesh can avoid spiralling into instability.