The cracks in the 14-party alliance led by the ruling Awami League seems to begin to show as the AL has taken a policy to move alone, ignoring its long-trusted partners in running the state affairs.
Insiders say that a sense of discomfort has been brewing in the alliance as the top leaders of the alliance felt that they are not getting due honour.
Many of the leaders cast doubt over the status of the alliance which has been marching forward since the last regime of the BNP-Jamaat coalition. The BNP-Jamaat alliance assumed office in 2001.
The 14-party alliance comprising AL, NAP (Mozaffar), Jatiya Samjtantrik Dal (Inu), Workers Party of Bangladesh, Samyabadi Dal, Jatiya Party (Manju), Tariqat Federation, Communist Kendra and Ganatantri Party, was formed to face the politics of the BNP-Jamaat.
Despite the dissatisfaction, top leaders of the alliance refrain from making any negative comments before the media regarding the present status of the alliance.
They say that they want to sit with alliance leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After the meeting, they will take finally decide if they will remain with the alliance or go for a split.
Awami League insiders say that the ruling camp has started ignoring its partners as those parties have failed to flourish despite in office for a long time.
They say that the alliance leaders sat several times with the AL top brass for seat sharing before the 12th parliamentary polls. The AL president then said that how long she will support them.
The Awami League has provided enough support to the alliance partners during its office for the last 15 years. But none of the partners has been able to grow up as an important element in politics, they said.
Alliance leaders said that though the alliance has been formed based on ideals, the partners of the AL are not getting their due honour from the AL. As a result, some problems have cropped up before the alliance.
They say that the incumbent government only represents the AL where there is no representation of the partners.
The uneasy situation started in the alliance during the seat sharing process before the 12th parliamentary polls. Even, none of the alliance leaders have been included in the cabinet.
The AL sacrificed only six seats for its partners of the 14-party alliance and 26 seats to main opposition Jatiya Party after a negotiation.
Of the six seats, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JaSaD) got three, Workers Party got two and Jatiya Party (JP) got one seat.
The seats given up for alliance partners were Bogura-4, Rajshahi-2, Kushtia-2, Barishal-2, Pirojpur-2 and Lakshmipur-4.
But only two leaders of the alliance --Rashed Khan Menon of WP and Rezaul Karim Tansen of JSD—won victory as the AL kept all those six seats open paving ways for the independent candidates to vie the race.
During the seat sharing, Tariqat Federaion, one of the components of the 14-party alliance, did not get any seat this time. Yet, it remained with the alliance considering the importance of the alliance.
Another component Workers Party of Bangladesh was dismayed at being deprived of its desired number of seats. The AL left three seats for the WP in the 11th parliamentary polls. But it got two seats this time.
JSD president Hasanul Haq Inu told the Bangladesh Post that the 14-party alliance is a political alliance.
“Some problems remain in the alliance. The election is over. Now it is time to find ways for resolving those problems,” he said.
“We have been waiting for a meeting with alliance leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. We will take the final decision after the meeting with the alliance leader,” he said.
Talking to the Bangladesh Post, Workers Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badhsa says that the leaders of the alliance have been in state of confusion as the ruling AL has not said anything clearly.
“Leaders of the alliance have failed to reach a decision as the Awami League is not saying anything specifically,” he told the Bangladesh Post.
Asked about the meeting with alliance leader and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he said an initiative for the meeting is yet to be taken.
“The election and the first session of parliament just ended. Let’s see what happens next,” he said.
Asked about the rumour of splitting the alliance, he said there is no reason for split in the 14-party alliance.
“There has not arisen any such situation that the alliance will split,” he said.