The Election Commission (EC) has declared 37 registered political parties eligible for contesting the upcoming ninth parliamentary election.
The number is significantly less than the previous elections because of the strict provision for political parties’ registering with the EC. Ninety-six parties took part in the 2001 parliamentary polls.
In a circular issued on November 20, the EC declared the names of the eligible political parties and their electoral symbols.
The parties are Bangladesh Awami League, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Jatiya Party led by HM Ershad, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Communist Party of Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Party (JP) led by Anwar Hossain Manju, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (ML), Krishak Sramik Janata League, Ganatantri Party, Bangladesh National Awami Party, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Jasad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), Zaker Party, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal, Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Muslim League, National Peoples Party, Jamiyote Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh, Gono Forum, Gono Front, Progotishil Ganatantrik Dal, Bangladesh National Awami Party-Bangladesh NAP, Bangladesh Jatiya Party, Oikyaboddho Nagorik Andolon, Islami Front Bangladesh, Bangladesh Kalyan Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Islami Andolon Bangladesh, Bangladesh Islami Front, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party, and Bangladesher Biplobi Workers Party.
A total of 107 political parties had applied to the EC for registration.
Only 14 of these 37 parties participated in the country’s first general election in 1973. In the second election held under military rule in 1979, the number climbed to 29. Twenty-eight parties contested the third parliamentary election in 1986, also held under a military ruler and boycotted by a BNP-led alliance.
Despite boycotts by major opposition parties–Awami League, Jamaat-e-Islami, a left alliance and a few others–43 parties contested the sixth parliamentary election held on February 15, 1996.
However, the sixth parliament was dissolved after just 11 working days, which led to the introduction of the caretaker government system.
Parties that exist only on papers always failed to win any seat in the previous parliamentary elections with the paltry votes they managed to bag. And it has been reported many a time that these parties often sell their polling agents to major political parties during elections.
Chiefs of these parties also consider their positions as a status symbol.
In the circular issued Thursday, the EC also directed authorities concerned to form teams for vigilance and observation and election monitoring, and cells for maintaining law and order.
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Daily Bangladesh News, News
