Leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (Jamaat), and the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) have increasingly been exchanging verbal jabs as the parties prepare for the next national election.
Last year, during the July–August mass uprising, leaders and activists of BNP and Jamaat fought side by side to topple the Awami League regime in Bangladesh. The young student leaders who later formed the NCP also played a key role in that movement.
Just one year after the July uprising, these three major stakeholders are now heavily criticizing each other at public rallies and on social media platforms.
Political analysts say that as election preparations progress, such friction is quite normal in the political history of Bangladesh, since each party seeks to win public support independently by proving itself better than the others.
However, critics also warn that this kind of backlash politics could jeopardize the consensus achieved through the Monsoon Revolution in Bangladesh.
Initially, these altercations began over issues like which party played the most significant role in the July–August uprising, as all three claim to have been pivotal in deposing the Sheikh Hasina regime.
However, following recent criminal incidents such as the Mitford murder and several extortion cases, tensions have escalated further.
On Monday, at a press conference, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir claimed that the murder of Lal Chand Sohag in Mitford had been deliberately politicized to tarnish the image of the BNP and its senior leadership, including acting chair Tarique Rahman.
He also alleged that vested interests were using the Mitford murder as part of a calculated plan to derail the upcoming national elections and obstruct the country’s democratic transition.
Later that day, BNP leaders at a public meeting reiterated that certain political quarters and vested interests had been trying to obstruct the electoral process since the meeting between BNP acting chair Tarique Rahman and the interim government’s chief adviser in London, where it was confirmed that the next general election would be held in mid-February 2026.
On the same day, Dhaka North City Jamaat held a large rally in Mirpur, Dhaka. From that rally, Mohammad Selim Uddin—a member of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Central Executive Committee and ameer of Dhaka North City—heavily criticized the BNP without directly naming the party.
He said: “Due to widespread public opposition, the people of the country had already shown a 'yellow card' to a certain political group. Now, following the incident at Mitford, the public has effectively shown them the 'red card.'”
Selim Uddin further said: “The August uprising gave them (BNP) a golden opportunity. They could have used it to train their party workers in moral values and guide them to follow Islamic discipline. But instead, they turned the country into a sanctuary for extortionists. Their current slogan seems to be: ‘Reward for paying extortion, expulsion for refusing.’”
Referring to the recent murder at Mitford Hospital, he said: “Through this brutal killing, they have effectively unveiled their party manifesto. More than 150 of their activists have already been killed over disputes related to extortion, territorial control, and power dominance.”
Meanwhile, at a roadside rally in Patuakhali on the same day, NCP convener Nahid Islam accused the BNP of becoming a "protector of Mujibism" and of aligning themselves with what he called a "fallen fascist regime."
Nahid Islam said: “We are engaged in pro-Bangladesh politics. There will be no more room for pro-India or pro-Pakistan politics in Bangladesh. Once, a party rehabilitated the pro-Pakistanis; now it is trying to rehabilitate the Mujibists. A certain extortionist and land-grabbing clique is protecting Mujibism.”
Saying that the people of the country had earned a new independence in exchange for the blood of hundreds of martyrs during the July mass uprising, the NCP convener added: “Despite this, we continue to witness the dominance of extortionists, spreading corruption, and a serious deterioration of law and order. Amid all this, a son from your area was brutally killed by being struck with a large stone in Dhaka. The government's failure and the extortionists from a certain party directly contributed to this.”
However, at a rally in the capital on the same day, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas took aim at Jamaat, Charmonai pir, and the NCP.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Monday, two members of the National Consensus Commission said that such tensions among political parties are quite normal—especially in a country like Bangladesh.
They explained that a year ago, the parties united against a common enemy. But now, each has its own agenda, which is why divisions are growing.
“When you’re fighting a common enemy, unity comes easily. But when it comes to individual goals, altercations are normal. The closer the election gets, the more likely it is that conflicts will intensify,” said Dr Iftekharuzzaman, chief of the Anti-Corruption Reform Commission.
“These political altercations may affect the national consensus, but so far, we remain hopeful about reaching a common minimum consensus with the approval of all parties,” he added.
Another commission member, Election Reform Commission Chief Badiul Alam Majumder, said: “I hope all political parties will engage in debate with decency and avoid conflict. A confrontational environment could jeopardize the upcoming national elections.”
Earlier in February, a seven-member National Consensus Commission headed by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus was formed to hold discussions with political parties and stakeholders to build a national consensus on implementing the recommendations of various commissions formed to reform the electoral system, public administration, judiciary, and anti-corruption mechanisms, including police conduct.
As of now, the next parliamentary election in Bangladesh is scheduled to be held in February or April.
To that end, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has ordered that all necessary preparations be completed by December this year.