Jukto Front: Of course no connection with 1954

In 1954, the Jukto Front, an alliance of political parties led by three prominent Bangali leaders – Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, and Maulana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani contested and won Pakistan's first provincial general election in landslide sending the ruling Muslim League to oblivion.

Now, another alliance bearing the same name, consisting of three smaller little-known parties, formed after the announcement of the upcoming election schedule, has nominated candidates for only 36 seats for the upcoming 12th national elections.

All three parties of the new Jukto Front will contest the elections with their own electoral symbols: Kallyan Party with wristwatch, Jatiya Party (Matin faction) with jackfruit, and Bangladesh Muslim League (Bulbul faction) with the hand.

During the announcement of the new alliance at a press conference on 22 November, its president and Chairman of the Bangladesh Kallyan Party, Syed Muhammad Ibrahim, stated that the alliance would field 100 candidates for the elections.

The Kallyan Party, initially planning to boycott the polls as part of the BNP's anti-government movement, reversed its decision and opted to contest the elections in alliance with the Bangladesh Muslim League (Bulbul) and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (Matin). 

Although the three parties in the new Jukto Front participated in the previous elections, they could not win any seats. Instead, most of the candidates lost their security deposits. 

Syed Muhammad Ibrahim contested the 2018 elections from Chattogram-5 in alliance with the BNP, securing over 40,000 votes.

While the Kallyan Party has some candidates with potential, the other two parties have been unable to present significant contenders, with even the chairman and general secretary of Bangladesh Muslim League (BML) abstaining from participation. 

Syed Muhammad Ibrahim told The Business Standard, "We did not live up to the expectations we came into the election with. However, we expect to win several seats we've nominated candidates for if the elections are fair," he added.

Kallyan Party new bets 

The Kallyan Party has sold 300 nomination forms and finally nominated candidates in 18 seats.

Syed Muhammad Ibrahim initially collected nominations for Dhaka-5, Dhaka-14, Cox's Bazar-1, and Chattogram-5 but later confirmed to TBS that he had submitted his nomination for Cox's Bazar-1. 

Meanwhile, the competition in Cox's Bazar-1, involving Salah Uddin Ahmad, former general secretary of the district Awami League, and Zafar Alam, the current MP and President of Chakaria Upazila Awami League, running as an independent candidate, has intensified, making Ibrahim's victory in this seat more challenging.

In Cox's Bazar-3, the party's General Secretary, Abdul Awal Mamun, is contesting. No other candidate from the alliance has the potential to mount a significant challenge, party sources said. 

Muhammad Ibrahim told TBS that his party had prepared to field 100 candidates if there had been a caretaker government. "However, due to a lack of time, we could not get the number of candidates we wanted."

In 2008, the Kallyan Party participated in elections for the first time and obtained 21,609 votes across 39 constituencies, with all candidates losing their security deposits.

In the 2014 elections, the party initially boycotted the vote along with the BNP but later formed an alliance with the opposition, contesting in two constituencies and securing over 40,000 votes in Ibrahim's constituency alone.

Muslim League goes for 5 seats

The Bangladesh Muslim League fielded one candidate in the 2018 elections, with Party president Sk Zulfiqar Bulbul Chowdhury receiving 228 votes as a candidate in his home constituency Chattogram-1 (Mirsarai). 

This time, the party has candidates for five seats, including the president contesting in his constituency. However, Chattogram-1 is also being contested by Mahbub Rahman Ruhel, son of veteran AL leader Mosharraf Hossain. 

Zulfiqar Bulbul told TBS, "If the upcoming election is conducted fairly, I will secure my seat, and our candidates can compete strongly in the remaining 4 seats."

He mentioned that the party's general secretary, Mohammad Nazrul Islam, was not contesting for his usual seat in Brahmanbaria because Law Minister Anisul Haque is also contesting for the same seat. 

He said the party had sold 50 nomination forms. Regarding participating in the elections this time, he said that in 2014, there was no atmosphere to go to the elections, so he did not participate in them. 

"I am participating this time because the government has given a commitment for an impartial election," he said.

Party won't exist if it boycotts polls

Jatiya Party Secretary General Md Zafar Ahmed Joy stated that his party is fielding candidates for 13 seats this time. However, nine candidates could not submit their nomination forms due to a lack of time. 

He expressed confidence in two candidates competing strongly in Dhaka-5 and Dhaka-19. 

However, Joy himself could not submit his own nomination in time, he said.

"If we don't participate in the elections as a small party, the party will not survive. The party will gain name recognition by participating in the election. The Election Commission and the prime minister have assured us that there will be a fair election. We believed in them," he added. 

In the last two elections, the Jatiya Party's MA Matin faction received 5,856 votes in 2018 and 8,383 votes in 2008, with all candidates losing their security deposits.