11-party alliance shows signs of breakdown as seat-sharing talks stall
Jamaat candidate for Bogura-3 Nur Mohammad wrote on Facebook, “Yes, this is the truth. The 11-party alliance is breaking apart.”
The 11-party alliance led by the Jamaat-e-Islami, and including the National Citizen Party (NCP), is showing signs of breaking down, with the Islami Andolan Bangladesh preparing to leave the coalition and a scheduled press conference on seat-sharing postponed.
Jamaat announced the press conference suspension in a press release issued at around 2:15pm today (14 January), citing "unavoidable circumstances." The press conference was to be addressed by Hamidur Rahman Azad, a Jamaat leader and coordinator of the alliance.
Earlier in the day, the Jamaat candidate for the Bogura-3 constituency, Nur Mohammad, wrote on his verified Facebook profile, "Yes, this is the truth. The 11-party alliance is breaking apart."
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He said Islami Andolan held a meeting last night with its shura (council) members and parliamentary election candidates to seek their opinions, adding that the majority favoured withdrawing from the alliance and contesting the polls independently.
Explaining the source of the disagreement, Nur wrote that Islami Andolan has ultimately been offered 45 seats under the proposed seat-sharing arrangement, while the party is now demanding around 65 to 70 seats.
According to him, Islami Andolan is also seeking a clear declaration on the structure of a post-election government, including who would hold which positions if a government is formed.
He noted that many issues have already been clarified and that those requiring further clarification can still be discussed.
Nur added that the main difficulty lies in the pressure exerted by Islami Andolan's grassroots on its top leadership.
Under any seat-sharing deal, a significant number of seats would have to be conceded, and candidates and leaders in those constituencies are understandably unhappy, he wrote.
Amid the unfolding situation, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman urged restraint in a Facebook post, saying, "Through many sacrifices and steps of selfless giving, by the exclusive mercy of Almighty Allah, our beloved organisation and the nation have reached this stage.
"This is a very critical turning point for national life. At this time, everyone must demonstrate the highest wisdom and patience, act responsibly, and refrain from any form of adverse behaviour towards anyone."
