Bangladesh Left Parties Plan to Contest All 300 Seats, Centering Electoral Strategy on Liberation War Ideals
Left-leaning political parties in Bangladesh are advancing with preparations to field candidates in all 300 constituencies for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The parties are currently engaged in the process of candidate selection and finalization, basing their electoral strategy on the ideals of the 1971 War of Liberation.
Forming the Left Bloc
Left party leaders indicate that candidate announcements may begin in the first week of the next month (December). Beyond party nominees, the bloc is considering supporting progressive, open-minded individuals, and members of marginalized communities.
Following the August 5th popular uprising, the Left Democratic Alliance (LDA)—led by the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BASD)—has gained significant political importance, as most registered left parties were previously part of the Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance.
Top leaders are working to build a larger progressive alliance encompassing the LDA, the “Anti-Fascist Left Front” (a coalition of seven other left parties), Bangladesh JaSaD, Oikya NAP, and various social, cultural, and mass organizations.
The Electoral Strategy: 1971 as the Foundation
Discussions with activists and leaders indicate that the core foundation of their comprehensive electoral plan, including candidate selection, will be the country’s historic War of Liberation. Many freedom fighters (Muktijoddhas) who directly participated in the War of Independence may also be candidates under this new alliance.
• CPB Preparation: Sources close to the CPB suggest the party is preparing to nominate candidates in over 150 seats.
• BASD Preparation: BASD leaders have already finalized a preliminary list of 110 candidates. Other left parties and coalitions are also continuing their selection processes.
Leaders aim to hold a meeting on October 31st to coordinate their preliminary candidate lists. They expect to complete candidate selection by October 30th and announce candidates for some seats in the first week of December.
Criteria for Candidate Selection
Parties are prioritizing the following criteria for candidate selection:
• Commitment to the ideals of the Liberation War and democracy.
• A track record in protecting the rights of working people, including laborers and farmers.
• Prior experience in corruption-free and public-oriented politics.
• Acceptability within their respective local areas.
Liberation War Ideals vs. July Charter
Bozlur Rashid Firoz, General Secretary of BASD, emphasized the strategic importance of the Liberation War:
“We will try to contest all 300 seats. Not all candidates may be from the party; they may include locally known or progressive individuals. The Liberation War has been considered the foundation of our electoral plan. Some want to portray the ’24 Mass Uprising as an alternative to the Liberation War. We believe the ’24 uprising was the consequence of unfulfilled aspirations. The ’24 event happened because the spirit of the Liberation War was not realized.”
He confirmed that several freedom fighters who fought against the Pakistani forces in 1971 would be on the left alliance’s candidate list.
Left parties, including CPB, BASD, BASD (Marxist), and Bangladesh JaSaD, have taken a strong stance on preserving the core principles of the Constitution related to the Liberation War, which they claim is threatened by the proposed ‘July Charter.’ They allege that there is a conspiracy to dilute the fundamental principles achieved through the bloody struggle.
Abdullah Kafi Ratan, General Secretary of the CPB, echoed this firm stance on the Liberation War:
“The philosophical foundation of the country’s Constitution was established through 23 years of struggle leading up to the Liberation War, which is reflected in the Proclamation of Independence adopted on April 10, 1971. While there is consensus on bringing reforms to various practical aspects of the Constitution, there is no room for compromise on its philosophical foundation and its four basic principles.”
Mobilizing the Front
Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandon, CPB President, detailed the effort to build a wider political front:
“We are attempting to form a larger political front comprising patriotic and progressive political parties, organizations, and individuals who embrace the ideals of the Liberation War. This includes professional bodies, student, worker, agricultural laborer, and farmer organizations, marginalized communities (Dalits), and small ethnic groups from hills and plains. We will also support locally acceptable non-partisan individuals as candidates.”
- To formalize this pro-democracy, Liberation War-inspired alliance, left leaders have announced a ‘National Assembly’ to be held through a joint initiative of leftist parties and organizations at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka on November 14th. Furthermore, specific conventions are planned for marginalized groups (October 31st), working-class people (November 28th), women (December 5th), and freedom fighters (December 13th).
