Bangladesh Nationalist Party (, BNP) is the immediate past ruling political party of Bangladesh, as part of an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (as of October 2006). It was founded on September 1, 1978, by former President General Ziaur Rahman. The party has ruled the country in four separate terms. The party's chair is General Zia's widow, Begum Khaleda Zia, an ex-Prime Minister of Bangladesh. In 2001 elections the BNP and its allies got 46% of the vote and 215 of the 300 seats in Parliament.

History

President Ziaur Rahman, during his tenure, reoriented the country's foreign policy, and moved away from the pro-Indian position of the Awami League government of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. He emphasized the need for closer relations with Muslim majority countries, including former sister country Pakistan, and the West, including the United States, Germany, France and the United Kingdom. He introduced a free press. Ties were also strengthened with the Peoples Republic of China, and Saudi Arabia. President Ziaur Rahman visited many nations in the effort of promoting relations with Bangladesh.

The 1991-1996 and 2001-2006 BNP led governments' successes include development in the education sector, infrastructure and telecommunications development, growth of macro-economy, and improvement of law and order situation. However, failure to improve power generation, activities of Islamic militancy, and large-scale corruption by top party leaders have subjected them to frequent criticism.

Party Ideology

The BNP promotes a very center-right policy combining elements of conservatism, corporatism, nationalism, strong defense, anti-anarchism and anti-communism. It is more popular among the country's business class, military, and conservatives, and is credited with bringing socio-economic stability in the country. Young people have showing particular interest to the party due to its open minded policy and in large the party is operated by young leaders. The party believes that Islam, is an integral part of the socio-cultural life of Bangladesh, and favors Islamic principles, as well as cultural views together. This is particularly seen through its alliance with the Islamic party of Jamaat.^[1]

The 2007-2008 period

After Khaleda Zia was detained by the transitional government in 2007, some party members chose Hafizuddin Ahmed to lead the party; Zia's supporters did not recognize this. The electoral commission subsequently invited Hafizuddin's faction, rather than Khaleds Zia's, to participate in talks, effectively recognizing the former as the legitimate BNP. Khaleda Zia challenged this in court, but her appeal was rejected on April 10 2008.^[2] However by the end of August, stance of Election Commission changed subsequently and the Election Commission confessed to public that his decision to send Hafizuddin the invitation was a mistake. He also admitted that the Election Commission's behavior to the party has been biased and he begged pardon for that to the nation. The moral warfare triumph of the real BNP against the Hafizuddin, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan led faction took place after a large procession of during party's Joint General Secretary Tarique Rahman's release on September 3, 2008, some factional leaders were chased and heckled by supporters in front of Tarique's Hospital. Since then the factional part has been remaining silent and appearing inactive. Before this, another moral defeat of reformist faction took place after one of the recognized and leading reformist Saifur Rahman denied himself to be a reformist and made his position very clear under the leadership of Khaleda Zia.

See also

• Politics of Bangladesh
• List of political parties in Bangladesh

References

External links

• Bangladesh Nationalist Party

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