Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh

Background

The party was conceived by Dr Chowdhury in 2003 after he was forced to abdicate his presidency. Dr Chowdhury felt the need of a third force in the de facto two-party democracy in Bangladesh. He expressed recruiting civil society members in politics to fight corruption and terrorism and establish good governance in the country through an alternate stream (lit. Bikalpa Dhara) political party.

By-elections in 2004

Article 70 of the Constitution states that a parliamentarian who defects automatically loses his seat. Since both M A Mannan and Mahi B Chowdhury were ruling party parliamentarians during their defection to Bikalpa Dhara, their seats were vacated and by-elections declared. Both the parliamentarians contested for their own seats again.

The Munshiganj-1 district was contested mainly by Momin Ali of BNP and Mahi Chowdhury, Despite considerable opposition from the BNP, Mahi Chowdhury managed to win the elections and enter Parliament as the only opposition member from the BDB.

The Dhaka-10 constituency was contested between former MP M A Mannan and BNP's Mosaddek Ali Falu including, according to WikiLeaks, the United States.

Mahi's membership in the Jatiyo Sangshad expired along with the parliament in October 2006.

2008 elections and aftermath

The party contested the 2008 elections independently, but won no seats during the elections. Party president Dr Chowdhury lost his security money for obtaining only about 5,000 votes in his Dhaka-6 constituency, and came third in his Munshiganj-1 constituency, where he was elected parliamentarian four times in the past. No other Bikalpa Dhara candidates were able to secure seats in the 9th Parliament.

In the emergency presidium meeting on 31 December 2008 just two days after the elections, Dr Chowdhury and M A Mannan, party president and secretary-general took responsibility for the loss, and resigned from their party posts, being appointed chief adviser and adviser to the party respectively. They also congratulated Awami League for their historic win in the elections. Dhaka University's political science professor Nurul Amin Bepari and Mahi B. Chowdhury were appointed acting president and acting secretary-general, respectively.

However, Dr Chowdhury and Mannan were reinstated to their respective roles within the party in April 2009 after a presidium meeting.

2009 – present

Chowdhury attended political iftars with both Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina (which Khaleda Zia boycotted) and Khaleda Zia (which Sheikh Hasina boycotted).

Stances

Awami League government

Bikalpa Dhara believed that the Awami League-led Grand Alliance had failed in fulfilling their duties as the government, and a scheme of having fresh elections at the earliest must be hatched.

Caretaker government

Bikalpa Dhara opposed the repealing of the Thirteenth Amendment that abolished the caretaker government system in Bangladesh, and stated their liking of the system to the Chief Election Commissioner during a formal dialogue. The party also has agreed to join former foe BNP in a movement to reinstate the caretaker government.

General agitations by BNP

Bikalpa Dhara hasn't associated themselves with the general agitation movements being led by BNP. For instance, Bikalpa Dhara were invited by BNP to join their mass hunger strike on 12 July. While LDP, another party split from BNP, joined the movement, Bikalpa Dhara declined. However, Bikalpa Dhara joined BNP's road march program starting on 10 October.

Election results

Jatiya Sangsad elections

References

References

1. (19 October 2006). "RRT Research Response". Refugee Review Tribunal, Australia.
2. Chowdhury, Manosh. (2006). "Politics of Secularism in Bangladesh: On the Success of Reducing Political Vocabularies Into Evil 'Islamism'". Journal of Social Studies.
3. (12 July 2011). "BNP on 'mission win back'". bdnews24.com.
4. (4 November 1972). "Bangladesh Constitution".
5. (5 June 2004). "Munshiganj-1 polls tomorrow". The Daily Star.
6. Hussain, Ahmede. (16 July 2004). "One Flew over Falu's Nest". The Daily Star.
7. (5 July 2004). "AL walks out as talks on by-polls denied". Bangladesh Web.
8. (7 September 2011). "What mattered, who didn't". bdnews24.com.
9. (31 December 2008). "Badruddoza resigns Bikalpadhara presidency". bdnews24.com.
10. (1 January 2009). "Badruddoza, Mannan resign from party posts". The Daily Star.
11. (9 April 2009). "Badruddoza Chowdhry becomes BDB chief again". The Daily Star.
12. (6 August 2011). "Oppn abstains from Hasina's Iftar". bdnews24.com.
13. (13 August 2011). "Khaleda takes Iftar with politicians". bdnews24.com.
14. (17 September 2011). "B'dhara to shun BNP's 'tough' programmes". bdnews24.com.
15. (16 June 2011). "Bikalpa Dhara favours CG system while JP opposes". The Daily Star.
16. (29 August 2011). "Bikalpadhara to join caretaker movement". bdnews24.com.
17. (27 September 2011). "AL tyranny can't tame protest: Jamaat". bdnews24.com.