Left party called ‘Democratic United Front’ to come to Bangladesh in February

POBNEWS24, Dhaka Jan 25, 2025 : After the July-August movement, a new reckoning has begun in Bangladeshi politics. Formal activities are already underway to form a new alliance of left-progressives ahead of the national elections. Mutual discussions and meetings have already started between the left parties to form a new alliance. At the same time, progressive, democratic political parties that believe in the spirit of the great liberation war, socio-cultural organizations and prominent people who believe in the practice of free thought are also being contacted, said the concerned people.
Left sources say that although the roadmap for the 13th parliamentary elections has not been announced, political parties are already becoming active with the aim of holding an alliance election. BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami have started activities to form an alliance with the Islamic parties of the country around the upcoming elections. At the same time, the left parties are also active in trying to form a new alliance. Along with the alliance, they have started working to unite the progressive forces.
They are also active on the streets on various issues including commodity prices and the law and order situation in the country. Top leaders of the left parties said that the Left Democratic Alliance has already started preparing for the next national parliamentary elections. They want to field candidates in all 300 seats. For this, discussions are underway with other left-wing political parties outside the alliance.
Initiatives have also been taken to form a new united front ahead of the elections. In the meantime, several meetings have been held under the leadership of Professor Sirajul Islam Chowdhury. The last joint meeting of the Left Democratic Alliance and the Anti-Fascist Left Front was held at the CPB office on January 21. The meeting discussed the issue in detail.
Bazlur Rashid Firoz, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BSD), said that the overall political situation of the country was discussed in the last meeting.
Everyone there expressed their opinion that the mass uprising of 24 took place because the aspirations of the Liberation War of 1971 and the mass uprising of 1990 were not realized. As a result, importance has been attached to forming an alternative political alliance against the ruling class political parties. A formal meeting will be held with other parties and alliances to finalize the decision on this. He said that a formal meeting is planned with Gono Forum and Bangladesh JSD this month.
Ruhin Hossain Prince, the top leader of the Left Democratic Alliance and General Secretary of the CPB, said that the process of forming a larger alliance has progressed a lot ahead of the elections.
He said, “If the electoral environment is created and the voting is held according to the existing system, there will be an attempt to field candidates for 300 seats under the banner of the Left Democratic Alliance. In addition to party leaders, left and progressive people and people who believe in the spirit of the Liberation War will be nominated in the elections. In the meantime, field-level election activities have started for the elections.
He said, “Our leaders and activists and potential candidates are also in the field. In addition to political party leaders, the new alliance will take initiatives to field leaders of socio-cultural organizations and professional organizations and prominent people who believe in the practice of free thought.”
Bangladesh JSD General Secretary Nazmul Haque Pradhan announced a formal meeting with the left parties this month regarding the new alliance.
He said, ‘There is an initiative to form a new alliance excluding the bourgeois parties to implement the people’s aspirations of the mass uprising. We have already started discussions. We have had discussions with CPB, BSD, and Gono Forum. Efforts are underway to form such an alliance with the left, democratic, progressive, and liberal parties. The next meeting will discuss the action plan. In the new alliance, there will be an effort to unite the left-progressive parties, non-communal parties and organizations that believe in the spirit of the Liberation War, and even individuals outside the two-party trend.’
The policymakers of the left parties believe that since independence, bourgeois political parties like the Awami League, BNP, and Jatiya Party, which mainly represent the wealthy class, have ruled the country. That is why the fate of the common people has not changed. For this reason, a united platform of the left-progressives is necessary to strengthen the fight for democracy against the bourgeoisie. It is from that urge that the initiative to form a united front has been taken.
In the meantime, the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), the parties of the Left Democratic Alliance including the Bangladesh Socialist Party (BSD), the partner parties of the Anti-Fascist Left Alliance, the five parties of the Democratic Left Unity, Bangladesh JSD and Oikya NAP have joined this process. In addition, discussions are underway with various social and cultural organizations including the Parbatyya Chittagong Jana Sanghati Samity, several organizations of Dalits and small ethnic groups, and the Democratic Cultural Unity.
It is known that the new alliance will be officially announced next month under the name ‘Democratic United Front’.