List of political parties in Bangladesh

From 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. ^[1]

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. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

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. ^[5]

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. ^[6]

Alliances

Grand Alliance

Main article: Grand Alliance (Bangladesh)

The Grand Alliance (Bengali : মহাজোট) 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

Main article: Left Democratic Alliance (Bangladesh)

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. ^[7]

Ganatantra Manch

Main article: Ganatantra Manch

Ganatantra Manch (Bengali : গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ) is a political alliance consisting of six political parties in Bangladesh. The alliance announced its formation on 8 August 2024 ^{[8] [9] [10]} 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. ^{[11] [12]} 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. ^[13]

Registered parties

These are all the parties that are currently registered under Election Commission. ^[14]

No.	Name			Founded	Symbol	Flag	Leader	Ideology	Political position
1		LDP	Liberal Democratic Party লিবারেল ডেমোক্রেটিক পার্টি	2006			Oli Ahmed	Economic liberalism National conservatism	Centre-right
2		JP-M	Jatiya Party (Manju) জাতীয় পার্টি (মঞ্জু)	1999			Anwar Hossain Manju	Bangladeshi nationalism Conservatism	Centre-right
3		BSD-ML	Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal বাংলাদেশের সাম্যবাদী দল	1973			Dilip Barua	Communism Marxism–Leninism	Far-left
4		KSJL	Krishak Sramik Janata League কৃষক শ্রমিক জনতা লীগ	1999			Abdul Kader Siddique
5		CPB	Communist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি	1968			Shah Alam	Communism Marxism-Leninism	Far-left
6		ALBD	Bangladesh Awami League (Suspended) বাংলাদেশ আওয়ামী লীগ (স্থগিত)	1949			Sheikh Hasina	Democracy Socialism secularism Bengali nationalism	Centre to centre-left
7		BNP	Bangladesh Nationalist Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল	1978			Khaleda Zia	Liberalism Conservatism Economic liberalism	Centre to centre-right
8		GP	Ganatantri Party গণতন্ত্রী পার্টি	1990			Md Arash Ali	Secularism
9		NAP	National Awami Party ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি	1967			Amina Ahmed	Socialism
10		WPB	Workers Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি	1980			Rashed Khan Menon	Communism Marxism-Leninism	Far-left
11		BDB	Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh বিকল্পধারা বাংলাদেশ	2004				Bangladeshi nationalism Conservatism	Centre
12		JP-E	Jatiya Party (Ershad) জাতীয় পার্টি (এরশাদ)	1986			GM Quader	Bangladeshi nationalism Conservatism Populism	Centre-right
13		JASAD	Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল	1972			Hasanul Haque Inu	Socialism	Left-wing
14		BJI	Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামী	1948			Shafiqur Rahman	Islamism Social conservatism	Right-wing
15		JSD	Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Rab) জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল	2002			A. S. M. Abdur Rab	Socialism	Left-wing
16		ZP	Zaker Party জাকের পার্টি	1989			Mustafa Amir Faisal	Sufism	Right-wing
17		SPB	Socialist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল	1980			Comrade Bazlur Rashid Firoz	Communism Marxism-Leninism	Left-wing
18		BJP	Bangladesh Jatiya Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি	2001			Andaleeve Rahman	Bangladeshi nationalism	Centre
19		BTF	Bangladesh Tarikat Federation বাংলাদেশ তরিকত ফেডারেশন	2005			Syed Najibul Bashar Maizbhandari	Sufism (Maizbhandarism) Secularism	Right-wing
20		BKF	Khilafat Andolan বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত আন্দোলন	1981			Habibullah Miazi	Islamic democracy	Far-right
21		BML	Bangladesh Muslim League বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ	1906			Mohsin Rashid	Muslim nationalism	Far-right
22		NPP	National People's Party ন্যাশনাল পিপলস্‌ পার্টি	2007			Sheikh Salauddin Salu		Left-wing
23		JUI	Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh জমিয়তে উলামায়ে ইসলাম বাংলাদেশ	1972			Ubaydullah Faruq	Islamic democracy	Far-right
24		GF	Gano Forum গণফোরাম	1992			Subrata Chowdhury	Secularism	Centre
25		GF	Gano Front গণফ্রন্ট	1995			Barrister Md. Akmal Hossain	Secularism	Left-wing
27		BDNAP	Bangladesh National Awami Party (Bhasani) বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনাল আওয়ামী পার্টি-বাংলাদেশ ন্যাপ	2006			Jebel Rahman Ghaani	Socialism
28		BJP	Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Mukit) বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় পার্টি	2003			M.A. Mukit
30		IFB	Islamic Front Bangladesh ইসলামিক ফ্রন্ট বাংলাদেশ	1990			Bahadur Shah Mujaddedi	Mujaddedism
31		BKP	Bangladesh Kalyan Party বাংলাদেশ কল্যাণ পার্টি	2007			Syed Muhammad Ibrahim	Islamic democracy Bangladeshi nationalism Welfarism
32		IOJ	Islami Oikya Jote ইসলামী ঐক্যজোট	1990			Abdul Qadir	Islamic democracy
33		BKM	Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish বাংলাদেশ খেলাফত মজলিস	1989			Mamunul Haque	Islamic democracy
34		IAB	Islami Andolan Bangladesh ইসলামী আন্দোলন বাংলাদেশ	1987			Syed Rezaul Karim	Islamism Islamic fundamentalism	Far-right
35		BIF	Bangladesh Islami Front বাংলাদেশ ইসলামী ফ্রন্ট	1990			M.A. Matin	Sunni Sufism
36		JAGPA	Jatiya Ganotantrik Party জাতীয় গণতান্ত্রিক পার্টি-জাগপা	1980
37		BBWP	Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের বিপ্লবী ওয়ার্কার্স পার্টি	2004			Saiful Haq	Communism Marxism-Leninism	Far-left
38		KM	Khelafat Majlish খেলাফত মজলিস	1989			Abdul Basit Azad	Islamic democracy
40		BML	Bangladesh Muslim League-BML বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ-বিএমএল	~1982			A.H.M. Kamruzzaman	Muslim nationalism
41		Muktijote	Bangladesh Sangskritik Muktijote বাংলাদেশ সাংস্কৃতিক মুক্তিজোট	2000			Abu Layes Munna
42		BNF	Bangladesh Nationalist Front বাংলাদেশ ন্যাশনালিস্ট ফ্রন্ট	2012			M.A. Abul Kalam Azad	Secularism
43		NDM	Nationalist Democratic Movement জাতীয়তাবাদী গণতান্ত্রিক আন্দোলন	2017			Bobby Hajjaj	Democracy Bangladeshi nationalism
44		BC	Bangladesh Congress বাংলাদেশ কংগ্রেস	2013			Kazi Rezaul Hossain	Secularism
45		Trinomool BNP	Grassroots Bangladesh Nationalist Party তৃণমূল বিএনপি	2015			Shamsher M. Chowdhury	Secularism
46		Insaniyat	Humanity Revolution Bangladesh ইনসানিয়াত বিপ্লব বাংলাদেশ	2010			Allama Imam Hayat	Humanitarian
47		Bangladesh JASAD	Bangladesh Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal বাংলাদেশ জাতীয় সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল-জাসদ	2023			Sharif Nurul Ambia	Socialism	Left-wing
48		BNM	Bangladesh Nationalist Movement বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী আন্দোলন	2023			Abdur Rahman	Bangladeshi nationalism	Center to Centre-right
49		BSP	Bangladesh Supreme Party বাংলাদেশ সুপ্রিম পার্টি	2019			Sayed Saifuddin Ahmed	Sufism (Maizbhandarism)	Right-wing
50		AB PARTY	Amar Bangladesh Party আমার বাংলাদেশ পার্টি	2020			Mojibur Rahman Monju		Centre
51		GOP	Gono Odhikar Parishad গণঅধিকার পরিষদ-জিওপি	2021			Nurul Haq Nur	Progressivism	Centre
52		NO	Nagorik Oikko নাগরিক ঐক্য	2012			Mahmudur Rahman Manna		Left-wing
53		GSA	Ganosamhati Andolon গণসংহতি আন্দোলন	2002			Zonayed Saki	Egalitarianism	Left-wing
54		BDP	Bangladesh Development Party বাংলাদেশ ডেভেলপমেন্ট পার্টি	2022			AKM Anwarul Islam Chand
55		BMJP	Bangladesh Minority Janata Party বাংলাদেশ মাইনরিটি জনতা পার্টি	2017			Sukriti Kumar Mondal	Minority interests
56		NCP	National Citizen Party জাতীয় নাগরিক পার্টি	2025			Nahid Islam		Centre
57		BLP	Bangladesh Labour Party বাংলাদেশ লেবার পার্টি‌	1974			Mostafizur Rahman Iran	Bangladeshi nationalism
58		BRP	Bangladesh Republican Party বাংলাদেশ রিপাবলিকান পার্টি	2014			K.M Abu Hanif Hridoy
59		SPBM	Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) বাংলাদেশের সমাজতান্ত্রিক দল (মার্কসবাদী)	2013			Mubinul Haider Chowdhury	Communism Marxism-Leninism	Far-left
60		BAJP	Bangladesh Aam Jonogon Party বাংলাদেশ আমজনগণ পার্টি	2025			Rafiqul Amin
61		AD	Amjanatar Dol আমজনতার দল	2025			Tarek Rahman
62		JD	Janotar Dol জনতার দল	2025			Brigadier General Retd. Md Shamim Kamal

Regional parties

Name			Founded	Ideology	Leader	Political position
	PCJSS	Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম জনসংহতি সমিতি	1972	Autonomy of the indigenous tribes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts	Shantu Larma	Left-wing
	UPDF	United People's Democratic Front ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট	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	Communism Maoism	Tipu Biswas	Far-left	Banned	[15]
Purba Banglar Sarbahara Party	1971	Communism Maoism	Anwar Kabir	Far-left	Banned	[16]
Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League	1975	Mujibism	Sheikh Mujibur Rahman	Far-left	Banned	[17]
Hezbut Tahrir	2000	Salafism Anti Democracy	Ata Abu Rashta (Global leader)	Far-right	Outlawed	[18]
Maoist Bolshevik Reorganization Movement of the Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party	2001	Communism Maoism		Far-left	Outlawed	[19] [20]
Kuki-Chin National Front	2008	Autonomy of Kuki-Chin people	Nathan Bom		Banned	[21] [22]

Unregistered parties

• Bangladesh Freedom Party
• Bangladesh Justice Party
• Bangladesh Social Democratic Party
• Bangladesh Popular Party
• Bangladesh National Justice 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

• Bangladesh portal
• Politics portal

• Politics of Bangladesh
• List of political parties by country

References

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11. ৭ দলের নতুন রাজনৈতিক শক্তি ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’. jagonews24.com (in Bengali). 29 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
12. আসছে নতুন জোট ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ'. Deutsche Welle (in Bengali). 30 May 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
13. ‘গণতন্ত্র মঞ্চ’: নেতারাই ‘কনফিউজড’!. Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 9 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
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16. "Regional Information Base on Terrorism :: Terrorism news, Chronology, Organization Profiles". 22 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
17. "Sheik Mujib's Single Party Is Banned by Bangladesh". New York Times . 31 August 1975. p. 31.
18. "Hizb ut Tahrir Bangladesh wants withdrawal of its ban". New Age (Bangladesh) . 22 May 2025. Retrieved 22 May 2025.
19. "5 killed in series of 'gunfights'". Prothom Alo . 19 April 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
20. Report, Star Online (5 November 2015). "3 killed in separate 'gunfights'". The Daily Star (Bangladesh) . Retrieved 20 August 2024.
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22. "In Chattogram Hill Tracts, a new group of armed insurgents is making waves. Who are they?". 2 May 2024. Archived from the original on 2 May 2024. Retrieved 20 August 2024.