The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has built its electoral alliance largely with parties that stood by it during the anti-fascist movement, bringing together moderate democratic, left-leaning, and right-leaning groups, even as seat-sharing talks failed with several others.

As part of its strategy, the BNP has formally absorbed some alliance leaders into the party and granted them the party’s iconic election symbol, the “Sheaf of Paddy.” Sources said the BNP has allocated 17 seats to alliance partners, including those newly inducted, while 283 BNP candidates are contesting the polls. A detailed list of nominees is expected soon, ahead of the Monday deadline for submitting nomination papers.

One of the most notable developments in the alliance is the consensus with the registered Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh, which has been allotted four seats — the largest share for any single partner.

With the Awami League barred from political activity under the altered political landscape, the upcoming parliamentary election is shaping up as a direct contest between the BNP-led alliance and the Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition.

Most of the BNP’s electoral partners are parties that remained active alongside the BNP during the long movement against the Awami League regime. Seat-sharing agreements with these parties have already been finalized, and the BNP has strategically left certain constituencies to registered allies with national recognition and realistic chances of victory, refraining from fielding its own candidates there.

Among the key allocations:

• Bogura-2: Mahmudur Rahman Manna (Nagarik Oikya)

• Bhola-1: Andaleeve Rahman Partho (Bangladesh Jatiya Party)

• Dhaka-12: Saiful Haque (Revolutionary Workers Party)

• Brahmanbaria-6: Zonayed Saki (Ganosamhati Andolon)

• Patuakhali-3: Nurul Haq Nur (Gono Odhikar Parishad)

Unregistered parties have also been incorporated. Dr Fariduzzaman Farhad (NPP) will contest from Narail-2, Mufti Rashid Bin Wakkas (unregistered Jamiat) from Jashore-5 using the BNP symbol, and Mostafa Jamal Haider (Jatiya Party, Kazi Zafar faction) from Pirojpur-1. In all these cases, the BNP withdrew its own nominees to maintain alliance unity.

Smaller party leaders absorbed into the BNP include:

• Shahadat Hossain Selim (Bangladesh LDP) from Lakshmipur-1

• Syed Ehsanul Huda (Bangladesh National Party) from Kishoreganj-5

• Redowan Ahmed (LDP) from Cumilla-7

• Rashed Khan (Gono Odhikar Parishad) from Jhenaidah-4

• Bobby Hajjaj (National Democratic Movement) from Dhaka-13

Seat-sharing agreements with the registered Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Bangladesh cover four constituencies, with candidates contesting under their own party symbol, the Date Palm Tree: Nilphamari-1, Narayanganj-4, Sylhet-5, and Brahmanbaria-2.

Preliminary talks with Oli Ahmed-led LDP initially allocated two seats — Chattogram-14 and Cumilla-7 — but were later dropped after Oli Ahmed demanded eight seats. Subsequently, Redowan Ahmed joined the BNP and secured the party symbol, while Oli Ahmed aligned with the Jamaat-led coalition.

The electoral landscape is thus set: the BNP-led alliance consolidates a coalition of anti-fascist movement partners and smaller parties, while the Jamaat-led coalition positions itself as the primary challenger, promising one of the most fiercely contested parliamentary elections in recent memory.

Political analysts say that with the Awami League absent from the electoral race, it is natural for parties that supported the events of August 5 to compete with each other for power. This competition has resulted in clear political polarisation.

Two main blocs have now emerged —one led by the BNP and the other led by Jamaat-e-Islami, along with the NCP and other Islamic parties. The upcoming election is expected to be contested mainly between these two alliances.