Dhaka, Sep 13 (IANS) Eleven radical left parties have floated a new political platform, the Democratic Left Alliance (DLA), with the objective of “materialising the ideology of left politics” and helping establish “a democratic Bangladesh”.
They have attacked mainstream political parties and those left groups that engage in electoral and power politics.
“Some parties are doing left politics with exploiters deviating from its ideology. We will try to establish a trend of doing bold politics based on ideology and bring all left parties under a single banner as per the demand of the time,” Khalequzzaman of the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), speaking for the alliance, said in a statement.
“As rightist politics have failed to fulfil people’s expectations and run the country properly over the years, only left parties can lead the nation now,” he said.
The criticism was directed at the left parties, among them the Communist Party of Bangladesh, that are part of the 14-party alliance led by jailed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Bangladesh has had a long tradition of left and radical left politics with parties and groups having considerable ground support – this does not, however, translate into votes. Many of them keep away from elections.
However, successive regimes have targeted them to curb their efforts to organise farm and factory labour.
The combine did not announce its new leadership, The Daily Star said Thursday.
The parties that comprise the new alliance are the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD), Jatiya Ganofront, Bangladesher Workers Party, Biplobi Oikya Front, Ganotantrik Majdur Party, Bangladesher Communist Party (ML), Bangladesher Ganotantrik Andolon, Shramajibi Mukti Andolon, Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (MLM), BSD (Mahbub) and Ganosanghati Andolon.