None of the country's mainstream and major political parties are seeking to participate in the polls alone. The already allied parties are looking to increase their strength instead of going down in the poll battle again.
The 14 ruling parties and the 20-party alliance led by their rival BNP are thinking of an alliance or compromise with the new party.
Hussain Muhammad Ershad, the main opposition party in Parliament, also has a separate alliance. The size of his alliance is in line with the number of parties. 58 in all. At least that's what the alliance says.
Eight left parties formed all the final coalitions. There is also the participation of groups known as pro-Russian and pro-China.
Awami League has also talked about increasing alliance with Trinamool BNP led by former BNP leader Nazmul Huda. Nazmul Huda did not come alone, he brought nine other teams with him. This discussion was held on Wednesday, but both sides are waiting for Sheikh Hasina's consent to get the result.
BNP is again interested in national unity outside its DHAUS alliance. Discussions are ongoing with various parties, including the former Awami League leader Mahmudur Rahman Manna's Nagorika Oikya, formed out of BNP.
Senior lawyer Kamal Hossain is again advancing the 'national unity process'.
Among them, the United Front, which was formed last December by declaring to be the third power, lost the negotiations again. They are now increasing closeness with BNP.
Apart from these, there have been reports of attempts to form new alliances with the initiatives of Qaumi Madrasa-centric political parties and Padsarvaswa parties.
Formation of election-centric alliances in parliamentary politics is not new in Bangladesh. The rivalry between BNP and Awami League in the 1991 national elections can also be called a coalition battle. The eight-party alliance led by Awami League was defeated by seven parties led by BNP.
But then in 1996, the main political parties stood in the polls with their strength. In fact, it was then that the strength of any party was understood.
After that, in 2001, Awami League fought alone, but BNP fought with the strength of the alliance. At that time, Ershad could not do anything effective even though he allied with his Pir of Charmonai's Islamic Regime Movement.
After that Awami League also formed an alliance before 2006. And in the national elections of 2008, with the strength of the alliance, BNP returned to the state power by blowing up the four-party alliance.
After that, the BNP made 20 parties to increase the size of the alliance to face the Awami League. The number of parties in this alliance is now more than 20, including the fractions of each party.
However, in the current political reality, the question remains whether the formation of a new alliance or the attempt to grow the alliance again will bring benefits for the big party or whether it will bring benefits at all.
Because, the new alliances that are being formed or those who are negotiating with the big parties to participate in the alliance do not have the organizational strength, nor the popularity. One leader of a group or two leaders of a group - this is how you can introduce someone to someone.
CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim, who formed a new alliance, asked himself what is the benefit of forming an alliance like this.
The reply came, 'This alliance will not bring any fundamental change in the politics of Bangladesh. Our movement is against the capitalist system. In the politics of this country, for the need of power, the policy ignores ideals and wants to gather power. They want to do politics with various opportunities. We want to bring the nation out of this culture of unscrupulous politics. It is possible by rescuing the nation from these two groups.
'Ours is an electoral and movement alliance. I want to implement the concept of the four principles of the liberation war. We will do many things if the struggle is necessary. If necessary, we will hold elections, and if necessary, we will boycott elections.'
However, how much Salim can do with alliance is debatable. It is not as if these parties have a foothold anywhere in the country after the Left has waned, broken up and the leaders left for all the major parties. The votes obtained by CPB-Bas candidates in May 15 Khulna and June 26 Gazipur City Corporation elections are remarkable.
When asked about the matter, Professor Gobind Chakraborty of Dhaka University's Department of Political Science said, 'This matter is not new, there was a culture of forming alliances in Bangladesh's politics many years ago. Even before the year 71, the election coalition was formed in this country, that is the United Front.
"In this election year, the issue of alliance formation should not be looked at in a big way, but the issues that should be looked at in the next elections. It is not possible to say what the impact will be on the future movement, there is news that 9 parties want to break the alliance of 20 parties and work with Awami League.
'There is no telling what impact these parties will have. The left has also formed a coalition in one place. It is also difficult to say what movement they will build with 1% votes.'
When asked, the former Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University Emajuddin Ahmed said, 'If these alliances are formed keeping in mind the elections, then there is a high possibility that the elections will be transparent. By doing this, the power of the ruling party will be a little less. But everything depends on the situation.'
Political analyst Mizanur Rahman Shelley said, 'Alliance politics is not new in Bangladesh, alliances between political parties have been going on for a long time during election years. Major parties consider their strengths to be more powerful and form alliances. Although the alliance does not have much influence on the votes of these parties, it is increasing in terms of numbers.
'These small groups rely on the big main power. I don't think they are that important. How the electoral process will be passed is the main issue now.
Dhaka Times'
