Political landscapes are shifting every day as Bangladesh eagerly anticipates the 12th national parliamentary elections. Along with major parties like the Awami League and Jatiya Party, many smaller entities are also focusing on joining the election in the belief that participation itself holds more significance than clinching a victory.
Diverse and innovative strategies are being crafted by these political entities to navigate their roles in the upcoming elections.
Among them, the Bangladesh Nationalist Front (BNF) emerges as a notable player in this dynamic stage, poised to engage in the elections with the goal of establishing itself as a formidable opposition entity within the parliament.
How did BNF emerge?
On June 6, 2012, Barrister Nazmul Huda formed the BNF, resigning from his position as the vice chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on August 10 of the same year.
The party secured registration from the Election Commission on November 18, 2013, just ahead of the 10th parliamentary elections.
Huda died on February 19 this year, and SM Abul Kalam Azad holds the position of the party's president.
The BNF's journey has been marked by intriguing twists. Despite Nazmul Huda being acknowledged as the party's founder, leadership later shifted to SM Abul Kalam Azad, leading to Huda's opposition to the party during its registration.
Notably, even the BNP, the main opposition party during the ninth parliament, voiced objections to the registration of the BNF at that time.
Speculations arose that the Election Commission's decision to register the BNF was influenced by both local and foreign intelligence, with the intention of splitting up the BNP.
Controversies
Despite facing objections from the BNP, the BNF secured registration with the Election Commission, albeit not without controversy.
The party failed to showcase the required infrastructure at the grassroots level, leading to an extension of the registration period.
The controversy extended to the selection of the party symbol; initially applying for a “sheaf of wheat” resembling the BNP's “sheaf of rice” symbol, the BNF eventually settled on the television symbol, making its debut in the tenth national parliament elections.
In the 2014 parliamentary elections, the BNF fielded candidates in 22 constituencies but only managed to secure a single seat.
Party President Azad emerged victorious in the Dhaka-17 constituency, becoming a Member of Parliament after the withdrawal of the late former chairman of the Jatiya Party, General HM Ershad.
New objective
The BNF chose not to participate in the 11th parliamentary elections in 2018 due to objections raised by the BNP. However, it is gearing up for the upcoming 2024 elections.
BNF President Azad outlined the party's preparations, revealing plans to contest in fewer than 100 seats.
“We are monitoring the nominations from other major political players such as the Awami League, Jatiya Party, Workers Party, and JaSad,” he added.
Expressing the BNF's aspirations for the national elections, Azad emphasized the importance of not only forming the government but also ensuring a robust opposition.
“We want what everyone wants—from the government. But after forming the government, there is another responsibility to form the opposition party. No one is paying attention to it. Now the BNF wants to partner with the government—this is our first priority. If that is not possible, we will go to the second option—we will form an opposition party in the parliament.”
Saying that he does not see JaPa as an opposition, the BNF president said that they also harbour aspirations for forming the government.
In contrast, the BNF stands out as the sole party with no inclination towards government formation, emphasizing its commitment to being a constructive opposition force in the parliamentary arena, Azad added.