List of political parties in Bangladesh
Template:Short description Template:Sidebar with collapsible lists From the the restoration of parliamentary democracy in 1991, until the July Revolution, Bangladesh had a fading two-party system, which means that two political parties dominate the general elections, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of another party.
Although the AL and BNP dominated Bangladeshi politics for a long time, both of the parties are usually classified as centrist parties with political ideology of AL being Bengali nationalism and that of BNP being Bangladeshi nationalism.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
After the fall of the Awami League government following the July Revolution on 5 August 2024, a new political party named National Citizen Party (NCP) was established on 28 February 2025 as the first student-led political party in the history of Bangladesh.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="auto2">Template:Cite news</ref>
History
The current parliamentary system in the country was established in 1991 and is modelled after the Westminster system. Before this, the nation experienced a period of military rule from 1975 to 1990. In response to demands from the two major political parties, the Awami League (AL) and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a caretaker government was introduced in 1990 following the resignation of military ruler Lieutenant General Hussain Muhammad Ershad. Chief Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed was appointed as the Chief Advisor and oversaw the 1991 general election.
The caretaker government is led by a Chief Advisor who holds powers similar to those of a regular prime minister, except for defense matters. The Advisors function in roles akin to ministers. Following the 1991 elections, caretaker governments also facilitated the elections in 1996, 2001, and 2008. Initially intended to support the transition from authoritarianism to democracy, the caretaker system was institutionalized in 1996 by the Sixth Parliament due to increasing mistrust between the BNP and AL.
In 2011, the Awami League, then in power, abolished the caretaker government system. This decision has since been a significant point of contention between Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party, contributing to ongoing political disputes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Composition of the Parliament
Bangladeshi parliament is made up of 350 members, 300 members were elected by direct votes, and 50 women members were elected by the parties according to their popular voting percentage general election, but after the July Revolution, the Parliament was dissolved by the president on 6 August 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Alliances
Grand Alliance
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Grand Alliance (Template:Langx) is an alliance of political parties in Bangladesh that was formed in 2008. It consist of the Awami League, Jatiya Party (Ershad), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Workers Party, Liberal Democratic Party, Jatiya Party (Manju), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, Ganatantri Dol, Communist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist-Leninist) (Barua) and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh.
The Liberal Democratic Party left the Grand Alliance before the election and contested independently. It joined the 18 Party Alliance in 2012.
Left Democratic Alliance
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Left Democratic Alliance is an alliance of six leftist political parties including Communist Party of Bangladesh, Socialist Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, Revolutionary Communist League of Bangladesh.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ganatantra Manch
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Ganatantra Manch (Template:Langx) is a political alliance consisting of six political parties in Bangladesh. The alliance announced its formation on 8 August 2024<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and consists of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab), the Nagrik Oikya, the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh, the Bhasani Anusari Parishad, the Rastro Songskar Andolon and the Ganosanhati Andolan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Gono Odhikar Parishad was initially with the alliance, but in May 2023, they left the alliance. Among them, only the JSD (Rab) and the Revolutionary Workers Party are registered with the Bangladesh Election Commission.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Registered parties
Template:Update section These are all the parties that are currently registered under Election Commission.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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Regional parties
| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCJSS | Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} |
1972 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Shantu Larma | Left-wing | |
| UPDF | United People's Democratic Front {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} |
1998 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Prasit Bikash Khisa | Left-wing | |
| PCJSS-MN Larma | Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (MN Larma) | 2007 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Juddho Chakma | Left-wing | |
| UPDF-Democratic | United People's Democratic Front (Democratic) | 2017 | Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts | Tapan Jyoti Chakma | Left-wing | |
Outlawed parties
| Name | Founded | Ideology | Leader | Political position | Legal status | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awami League | 1949 | Bengali nationalism | Sheikh Hasina | Centre-left | Suspended | |||
| Purba Banglar Communist Party | 1968 | Template:Ubl | Tipu Biswas | Far-left | Banned | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party | 1971 | Communism Maoism | Anwar Kabir | Far-left | Banned | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League | 1975 | Mujibism | Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | Far-left | Banned | <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> | ||
| Hezbut Tahrir | 2000 | Salafism | Ata Abu Rashta (Global leader) | Far-right | Outlawed | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> | |
| Maoist Bolshevik Reorganization Movement of the Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party | 2001 | Template:Ubl | Far-left | Outlawed | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
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| Kuki-Chin National Front | 2008 | Autonomy of Kuki-Chin people | Nathan Bom | Banned | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |
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}}</ref> |
Unregistered parties
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- Aamjanatar Dal
- Bangladesh Freedom Party
- Bangladesh Justice Party
- Bangladesh Social Democratic Party
- Bangladesh Popular Party
- Bangladesh National Justice Party
- Jatiya Ganotantrik Party
- Krishak Sramik Party
- National Revolutionary Council
- Nizam-e-Islam Party
- Nation State Movement
- Bangala Saltanat Harakat
- Muslim Bangali Resistance Council
Defunct parties
- Awami League (Mizan)
- Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (1983–1991)
- Bangladesh National Congress
- Islamic Democratic League
- Jatiya League
See also
References
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