Ahead of the upcoming national parliamentary election, the Jatiya Party faction led by Anisul Islam Mahmud held a view-exchange meeting on Sunday with 15 political parties with the aim of forming a greater political alliance.
The meeting was held at Haolader Tower in the capital's Gulshan yesterday evening.
The new alliance will be formally launched through a press conference within a week.
At the meeting, consensus was expressed to form a greater political alliance named "Nationalist Democratic Alliance".
In addition, a decision was made to form a liaison committee, comprising senior leaders of all the parties in the alliance, before its formal launch.
Anisul Islam Mahmud presided over the meeting, where Jatiya Party-JP Chairman Anwar Hossain Manju addressed the event as the chief guest.
Others who spoke at the meeting were Jatiya Party Secretary General ABM Ruhul Amin Haolader; JP (Monju) Secretary General Sheikh Shahidul Islam; Jonota Party Bangladesh Acting Chairman Golam Sarwar Milon and Secretary General Shawkat Mahmud; Bangladesh National Party (Matin) Acting Chairman ANM Sirajul Islam and Secretary General Zafar Ahmed Joy; Bangladesh Muslim League President Mohsin Rashid; National Peoples Party Chairman Sheikh Salauddin Salu; Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party Executive President Maulana Ashraful Haq; Bangladesh Islamic Jote Chairman Abu Naser; National Reform Alliance President Major (retd) Amin Ahmed Afsari; Bangladesh Human Rights Party Chairman Akhtar Hossain; National Democratic Party-Jagpa President Mohiuddin Babul; Bangladesh Sarbojonin Dal President Nur Mohammad Monir; NAP Bhasani Secretary General Zahirul Islam; Bangladesh Ganadhikar Party Chairman Akhtar Hossain, among others.
At the views-exchange meeting, Anisul Islam Mahmud said,
"Bangladesh is now going through a critical period. We believe the country will move towards elections in February. But there is confusion among everyone regarding the election. Even then, we must prepare for the polls."
He added, "We want to offer the country's people a third force of healthy politics. The country is now divided between BNP and Jamaat. There is uncertainty over whether the Awami League will be able to contest the election."
Anisul also said, "If we seize this opportunity and all unite to participate in the polls, then we have the possibility of achieving good results."
The main principles of the alliance will be: Bangladeshi nationalism, the spirit of the Liberation War, liberal democracy, and the coexistence of people of all religions, he said.