The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its allied groups, who had previously staged joint protests against the Awami League government, have confirmed they will participate in the upcoming February national election as a coalition.

BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman gave the assurance during a virtual address from London to leaders of the party’s 12-party alliance and other aligned organisations at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan yesterday. The meeting was attended by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, along with Standing Committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman.

Following Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus’s announcement that the polls will take place in February next year, the BNP has moved to strengthen ties with like-minded political groups through discussions and joint planning.

Tarique called for vigilance over both the upcoming election and the July Declaration, urging all pro-democracy forces to remain united to safeguard citizens’ voting rights. He credited the recent student-worker uprising in July with toppling what he described as a “fascist” system, adding that the goal now is to establish a democratic welfare state based on the BNP’s 31-point platform.

Alliance leaders at the meeting expressed full confidence in Tarique’s leadership. Syed Ehsanul Huda, chair of Bangladesh Jatiya Dal and coordinator of the 12-party alliance, stated that Tarique had clearly committed to contesting the election and forming a government jointly with the alliance. He also indicated that those who had made sacrifices during the democratic movement would be prioritised in seat-sharing arrangements.

Other alliance representatives, including Bangladesh LDP Secretary General Shahadat Hossain Salim and Labour Party leader Mustafizur Rahman Iran, reaffirmed their willingness to campaign and govern under Tarique’s leadership. They pledged to take the BNP’s 31-point plan to voters across the country.

Tarique concluded by stressing that any potential election-related conspiracies would be met with a unified response from the BNP and its partners, and that maintaining strong internal cohesion was essential ahead of the polls.