The ruling Awami League is likely to expand its electoral alliance before the next parliamentary election later this year.
The existing 14-party Grand Alliance will remain the same, while new political parties will be added to an electoral alliance of the ruling party.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the alliance at Ganabhaban on Wednesday night with Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Senior leaders of the alliance Amir Hossain Amu, Obaidul Quader, Rashed Khan Menon, Hasanul Haq Inu, Dr Shahadat Hossain, and Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary, among others, were present at the meeting.
The meeting started at 7pm and continued till 11pm, with a dinner break.
After the meeting, Workers Party of Bangladesh President Rashed Khan Menon told Dhaka Tribune: “The 14-party will participate in the next election as an alliance, like the previous election, and the election will be conducted according to our constitution.”
The premier delivered the opening speech, and then the other leaders participated in the discussion.
The meeting focused on recent national and international conspiracies, and a decision was taken to move jointly against all conspiracies.
When the issue of several parties wanting to join the alliance was raised, it was decided that Awami League would expand its electoral alliance with like-minded parties.
Some left party leaders, including Rashed Khan Menon, raised the issue of EU delegates meeting with Jamaat-e-Islami and the AB party.
“What is the meaning of meeting with them? Is the US giving approval to Jamaat, which is a party of butchers that committed war crimes during the Liberation War of Bangladesh?” one leader asked.
In response, the prime minister said: “There are many national and international conspiracies going on, but our foreign policy is friendship to all and malice to none. Bangladesh will follow its own constitution, and will not bow down to any country.”