BNP-led 20-Party Alliance agrees expansion before election

The leaders of the BNP-led 20-Party Alliance have agreed to widen their coalition to strengthen their agitation for election with a non-partisan government in power.

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan, who is also the coordinator of the alliance, announced the decision after a meeting of the coalition at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office in Dhaka on Sunday night.

Nazrul said the leaders of the alliance also reiterated their call for the release of their leaders and activists, including Khaleda, and withdrawal of cases on ‘false’ charges against them, dissolution of parliament before announcement of the election schedule, and reforms to the Election Commission at the meeting.

The BNP has been speaking about ‘national unity’ to overcome the ‘situation created by the undemocratic Awami League government’.

The party has expressed eagerness to include others in the alliance it leads, but many have objection to the presence of its key ally Jamaat-e-Islami in the coalition.

“We are working to forge the unity our leader Khaleda Zia had asked for before she was jailed. This unity will be for restoration of democracy and consist of all the political parties, organisations and individuals seeking democracy,” Nazrul said.

“They (20-party alliance) supported this move and agreed to take it forward in today’s meeting,” he added.

Besides the BNP-led alliance and the ruling 14-party coalition with the Jatiya Party also as an ally, AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury’s Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, ASM Abdur Rab’s Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD, and Mahmudur Rahman Manna’s Nagorik Oikya have recently formed a bloc.

The new coalition also hopes to get Dr Kamal Hossain’s Gono Forum and Abdul Kader Siddique’s Krishak Sramik Janata League on board with the next general election a few months away.

The Communist Party of Bangladesh or CPB and Bangaldesher Samajtantrik Dal or BaSaD lead another alliance of left parties.