Seat-sharing talks in Jamaat-led 10-party alliance hit delays, uncertainty over AB Party

Finalising seat-sharing within the Jamaat-e-Islami–led 10-party alliance is facing delays and may take until the first week of January, according to senior alliance leaders. The delay is largely attributed to the inclusion of two new parties, which has necessitated a fresh redistribution of seats.

Top leaders said negotiations are continuing, with newer parties pressing their demands based on numerical strength, while the original eight parties are arguing for seat allocation based on popularity, candidate strength and ground realities.

Meanwhile, uncertainty persists over whether the Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) will ultimately be part of the 10-party alliance.

Speaking to The Business Standard this afternoon (29 December), Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair said the picture would become clearer after nomination papers are submitted across the country.

"After today's nomination submission, we will get an overall preliminary picture nationwide. Then the final seat-sharing arrangement will be concluded. That is why it will take some time. A decision on whether the AB Party will formally join the alliance would also be known within the day," he said.

Rashed Pradhan of the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party told The Business Standard that around 80% of the seat-sharing negotiations have already been finalised. "The eight parties are still continuing discussions. Since two new parties have joined, seats have to be rearranged again, which has caused the delay," he said.

"As Monday was the last day for submitting nomination papers, party candidates were filing nominations in their respective constituencies, temporarily slowing down negotiations. Once everyone returns to Dhaka, talks will resume," he said.

Rashed Pradhan said he expected the final list of alliance candidates to be completed within the first week of January, after which remaining candidates would withdraw.

Sheikh Fazlul Karim Maruf, Central Publicity and Dawah Secretary of Islamic Andolon Bangladesh told The Business Standard that his party would submit nomination forms in all 300 constituencies. "However, seat-sharing talks are ongoing. We are firmly hopeful that a good understanding will be reached, Insha'Allah," he said.

Several senior leaders of the 10-party alliance said the initial eight parties are prioritising candidate merit, popularity and electoral feasibility in seat allocation, while newer parties are negotiating based on the number of seats they are seeking. According to them, the National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded 30 seats, while the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has sought 10 seats. 

Barrister Nasrin Sultana Mili, Central Joint Secretary General of AB Party told The Business Standard that her party had earlier taken a joint decision with the NCP under the Democratic Reform Alliance to join the Jamaat-led larger coalition.

"Based on that understanding, we believe the Amar Bangladesh Party will be part of the Jamaat-e-Islami–led alliance. However, we do not know why it has been stated from the alliance side that no more parties will be included," she said.

Earlier, addressing a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka yesterday afternoon (28 December), Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said that eight parties had long been working together with the pledge to build a corruption-free and just Bangladesh at a critical juncture in the country's national life. He announced that two more parties- LDP led by retired Colonel Oli Ahmed and the NCP had recently joined the alliance.