New coalition emerges as BNP looks to bury Jamaat ties

A dozen political parties, which had been in the BNP-led 20-party alliance, announced a 12-party coalition on Thursday with the blessings of the right-wing major political opposition, which looks to shed its association with the far-right Jamaat.

The move reinforces the unofficial dissolution of the BNP-led alliance, a first step in the Khaleda Zia's party's attempt to rebrand its secular image ahead of the next national election to appease both Western and local critics.

Apart from the 12-party, six other smaller parties are set to form another coalition, while the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) will hold the political programmes separately.

According to BNP leaders, the dispersion of the 20-party alliance aims at speeding up the ongoing anti-government protests and providing the defunct alliance members with greater scope for the simultaneous movement.

BNP leaders believe they will be able to cut Jamaat dependency during the simultaneous movement, and shake off the negative political branding portraying the opposition to be linked to "radical Islamists and war criminals" to the West.

The newly formed 12-party coalition on Thursday includes Jatiya Party (Zafar), Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, NDP and Bangladesh LDP.

"The parties have united to speed up the simultaneous anti-government movement alongside the BNP," Labour Party Chairman Mustafizur Rahman Iran said in a joint declaration yesterday at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

The 20-party alliance, which was formed in 2012 led by the BNP, had been inactive since the 2018 national election.

Kalyan Party Chairman Major General (Retired) Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, Bir Protik, told The Business Standard that the coalition was unofficially dissolved at a meeting at BNP chairperson's Dhaka office on 9 December. He said BNP leaders at the meeting asked them to stop using the name "20-party alliance". 

Referring to failed movements waged by the 20-party alliance for polltime nonpartisan caretaker government in 2014 and 2018 elections, BNP leaders said they decided to mobilise a simultaneous movement this time.

BNP tilting to the centre?

The BNP has been widely criticised in recent years for its ties with the far-right Islamist organisation Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. The alliance between the two parties has been seen as controversial, as the BNP is a secular, centre-right party, while Jamaat-e-Islami is a hardline Islamist political organisation.

The BNP teamed up with Jamaat in 1999 and formed a four-party alliance ahead of the 2001 national election. But now the political opposition looks to wipe off its Jamaat ties from the public scene.

A number of BNP leaders, during private conversations, told The Business Standard that if BNP allows Jamaat on stage of anti-government movement, then the presence of the Islamist group will put BNP at a disadvantage in both domestic and international level.

The alliance between the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami has been met with strong opposition from many in Bangladesh, who have accused the BNP of compromising its secular values and ideals by joining forces with an organisation that is widely seen as extreme and intolerant.

Jamaat has already expressed solidarity to BNP's 10-point demand and political programmes in coming weeks.

In reply to the query whether Jamaat would join the simultaneous movement united or alone, Matiur Rahman Akand, publicity secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami, said they are now observing the political scenario.

"Our party has not decided yet whether to join a new alliance or not. We can talk about it after the party decision is finalised," he told The Business Standard.

Jamaat-e-Islami has been accused of opposing Bangladesh's independence during 1971, as its many top leaders were executed for 1971 war crimes. This has caused many political observers to view the alliance between the two parties as highly inappropriate, and has led to further public outrage and criticism.

New coalitions to have BNP blessings

The BNP has support for the split of the 20-party coalition and smaller parties forming new alliances.

The dissolution of the 20-party alliance leaves smaller parties alone and it will be challenging for the BNP to coordinate with them in the simultaneous movement. But if the parties are in a couple of separate alliances, it will be much easier to coordinate the BNP with them.

"We are taking the formation of the new coalitions positively," Rumeen Farhana, international affairs secretary of BNP's central committee, told The Business Standard.

Referring to the 1990 mass uprising against the military dictatorship, Rumeen Farhana said political parties led the movement both from united and separate platforms.

She said the next national government will be formed by representatives from all parties joining the simultaneous movement.

Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Oli Ahmed said though they are not in any alliance, they are with the BNP in the movement. He said LDP's future programmes will be in line with BNP's steps.