Bangladesh Nationalist Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bangladesh Nationalist Party বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল
Abbreviation	BNP [ˈbijenpi]
Chairperson	Begum Khaleda Zia Tarique Rahman (Acting Chairperson)
General Secretary	Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
Spokesperson	Ruhul Kabir Rizvi
Senior Vice-Chairman	Tarique Rahman
Vice-Chairman	Hafizuddin Ahmed
Founder	Ziaur Rahman
Founded	1 September 1978 (46 years ago) (1978-09-01)
Preceded by	Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal
Headquarters	28/1 Naya Paltan, Dhaka
Newspaper	The Daily Dinkal
Student wing	Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal
Youth wing	Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Jubo Dal
Women's wing	Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Mohila Dal
Farmer wing	Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Krishak Dal
Trade union wing	Bangladesh Jatyatabadi Sramik Dal
Volunteer wing	Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Sechchasebak Dal
Cleric wing	Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Olama Dal
Ideology	Bangladeshi nationalism Conservatism (Bangladeshi)
Political position	Centre-right
National affiliation	12 Party Alliance [bn] (2022–present) Former: Bangladesh Nationalist Front (1979) 7 Party Alliance (1991–1999) Jatiya Oikya Front (2018–2019) 20 Party Alliance (1999–2022)
Regional affiliation	Asia Pacific Democrat Union
International affiliation	Centrist Democrat International
Colors	Blue
Slogan	Bangladesh Zindabad ("Long Live Bangladesh")
Anthem	Prothom Bangladesh ("Bangladesh First")
Seats in Jatiya Sangsad	0 / 350
Mayor in City Corporations	0 / 12
Councillor in City Corporations	71 / 640
Chairmen in Subdistrict Councils	19 / 492
Election symbol
Sheaf of Paddy
Party flag

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ জাতীয়তাবাদী দল, abbreviated as BNP) is a big political party in Bangladesh. It was started on September 1, 1978, by the former Bangladeshi president Ziaur Rahman. He wanted to bring people together with a strong sense of nationalism. The BNP quickly became one of the two main parties in Bangladesh, often competing with the Awami League.

Ziaur Rahman led the party until he passed away in 1981. After that, his wife, Khaleda Zia, became the leader. She was the chairperson until 2018. Now, their son, Tarique Rahman, is the acting chairperson and manages the party from London.

Since it began, the BNP has won several elections. Ziaur Rahman led governments when the system was semi-presidential. Later, Khaleda Zia became prime minister when Bangladesh became a parliamentary republic. The BNP has also been the largest opposition party in the country's history, holding 116 seats in 1996.

The BNP's student group, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, played a big part in the 1990 uprising against the ruler Hussain Muhammad Ershad. This movement helped bring back democracy to Bangladesh. Khaleda Zia became the first woman Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

History

President Ziaur Rahman, who founded the BNP.

How the BNP Started

Before the BNP, there was a party called Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Dal (JaGoDal). It was formed in February 1978. Many important people from the government joined it. JaGoDal was the first step to create a group for nationalists in Bangladesh.

Then, in May 1978, the Jatiyatabadi Front (Nationalist Front) was created with Ziaur Rahman as its head. JaGoDal and other groups joined this front. Ziaur Rahman ran for president in June 1978 and won.

After Ziaur Rahman won the election, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was officially formed on September 1, 1978. The party brought together people with different political ideas.

The party's rules were written quickly, with 76 members. Ziaur Rahman was the main leader. The BNP formed its first government after winning the 1979 Bangladeshi general election.

Original Founding Committee Members

Original National Standing Committee

Challenges and Leadership Changes

On May 30, 1981, President Ziaur Rahman passed away. Many people protested in cities like Dhaka and Chittagong. His funeral was a very large event.

After his passing, Abdus Sattar was elected president in 1981. However, in March 1982, the Army Chief Hussain Muhammad Ershad took over the government. The BNP was removed from power, and many of its leaders were put in jail.

Khaleda Zia is a key leader of the party.

From 1983, Begum Khaleda Zia became the main decision-maker for the BNP. Under her leadership, the BNP formed an alliance with other parties called the 7-Party Alliance. This alliance worked against the government led by Ershad. They organized large protests and strikes.

In 1984, Khaleda Zia was attacked during a rally in Bogra, but she was not hurt. Many of her party members were injured. The BNP called for nationwide strikes to protest this attack.

Elections and Student Movements

In 1985, the government held local elections. Even though the BNP faced difficulties, 46 of its leaders became local chairmen.

The BNP's student group, Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Chatra Dal, formed an alliance with other student groups in 1985. They began to protest against Ershad's rule.

In 1986, Ershad announced a national election. Both the BNP-led 7-Party Alliance and the Awami League-led 15-Party Alliance decided to boycott the election. However, at the last moment, the Awami League decided to participate, which caused some changes in the alliances. The BNP continued to boycott the election, saying it would only participate if basic rights were restored and political prisoners were released.

The BNP also boycotted the 1988 Bangladeshi general election.

1990 Mass Uprising

The movement against Ershad grew stronger in 1990. The BNP-led 7-party alliance, the Awami League-led 8-party alliance, and other groups joined forces. They organized protests and strikes across the country. These protests became very strong, and on December 4, 1990, Ershad announced his resignation.

Students played a big role in this movement. The Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU), led by the BNP's student wing, united with other student groups. They held demonstrations that became violent after a student leader was killed by police. These student protests pushed Ershad to step down.

Teachers also showed their support. Pro-BNP teachers at Dhaka University decided to resign from their jobs and not return to classes until Ershad's government fell. This strong action from teachers further weakened Ershad's power.

Recent History

Between 2006 and 2008, a military-backed government took over. They tried to deal with corruption. Khaleda Zia and her sons faced charges during this time.

In the 2008 Bangladesh general election, the BNP and its allies won 33 seats.

In 2009, the BNP held its 5th National Council. Khaleda Zia was re-elected as chairperson. Her eldest son, Tarique Rahman, was elected Senior Vice-Chairman.

After 2012, the BNP organized protests to stop the 2014 general election from happening without a neutral government. They boycotted the election, and there were reports of violence.

In 2017, Khaleda Zia shared BNP's "Vision 2030" plan for the country.

In February 2018, Khaleda Zia was sentenced to jail. The BNP held protests, and many activists were arrested.

In October 2018, the BNP joined the Jatiya Oikya Front alliance.

In March 2020, Khaleda Zia's jail sentence was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and she was released under certain conditions. The BNP has been asking for her full release.

Leading up to the 2023 general election, the BNP held rallies asking for the Prime Minister to resign and for a neutral caretaker government to oversee the election. In December 2022, seven BNP lawmakers resigned from parliament to support these demands. The BNP boycotted the 2024 general election.

Ideology

The BNP was once called the "Party of the Freedom Fighters," because many of its early leaders fought for Bangladesh's independence. When it started, the BNP brought together people from different political backgrounds. Some BNP leaders have said the party's position is "on the left of the right and on the right of the left."

Senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain explained that the BNP's main ideas are: Bangladeshi nationalism, faith in Allah, and creating a fair society. The BNP also supports private businesses and a free market economy.

Bangladeshi Nationalism

The main idea of the BNP is Bangladeshi nationalism. This idea says that the "Bangladeshi" identity is special and different from neighboring countries. It includes all people in Bangladesh, including indigenous groups.

Economic Ideas

While the party sometimes calls itself socialist, the BNP actually supports economic liberalism. This means it believes in a free-market economy with limited government involvement. Ziaur Rahman thought that the economy needed to be improved by allowing more private ownership. Even though the party is generally center-right, its founding ideas included social and economic fairness.

Islam and Conservatism

Islamic and conservative ideas are important to the BNP. The party's founding statement mentions "faith and confidence in the almighty Allah, democracy, nationalism." The BNP's conservative views mix traditional Bengali customs with moderate Islam. When Ziaur Rahman was in power, he introduced changes that brought more Islamic influence into Bangladeshi society. However, the party also supports religious freedom and tolerance.

Policies

Foreign Policy

The BNP's foreign policy aims to have good relationships with Western countries and Muslim nations. It also tries to keep a balanced relationship with India. Some people describe the BNP as being cautious about India. When Ziaur Rahman became president, his government started to create more distance from India.

Ziaur Rahman's government worked to strengthen ties with Muslim and Arab countries. He visited Muslim countries often. His government also continued close relations with Pakistan.

The BNP government also encouraged Western countries to invest in Bangladesh. It improved relationships with the United States and China.

During Khaleda Zia's time as prime minister (2001-2006), the BNP's foreign policy was called "Look East Foreign Policy." This meant they focused on building stronger ties with countries like Thailand, Myanmar, and China. This policy aimed to reduce Bangladesh's reliance on India.

Party Leaders

Current Leadership

• Acting Chairman: Tarique Rahman
• Chairperson: Khaleda Zia
• Secretary General: Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
• Senior Vice Chairperson: Tarique Rahman

National Standing Committee

As of June 20, 2019, the standing committee members include:

• Khaleda Zia
• Tarique Rahman
• Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
• Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain (BNP)
• Moudud Ahmed (Passed away)
• Jamiruddin Sircar
• Muhammad Mahbubur Rahman (Retired from politics)
• Rafiqul Islam Miah
• Mirza Abbas
• Gayeshwar Chandra Roy
• Abdul Moyeen Khan
• Nazrul Islam Khan
• Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury
• Salahuddin Ahmed
• Selima Rahman
• Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku

Electoral History

Presidential Elections

Election	Party candidate	Votes	%	Result
1977 (referendum)	Ziaur Rahman	33,400,870	98.9%	Elected Y
1978		15,733,807	76.6%	Elected Y
1981	Abdus Sattar	14,203,958	65.5%	Elected Y

Jatiya Sangsad Elections

Election	Party leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Outcome
1979	Ziaur Rahman	7,934,236	41.17%	207 / 300	New	1st	Government
1986	Khaleda Zia	Boycotted		0 / 300	207	N/A	Extra-parliamentary
1988		Boycotted		0 / 300	0	N/A	Extra-parliamentary
1991		10,507,549	30.81%	140 / 300	140	1st	Coalition Government
Feb 1996		11,776,481	100%	278 / 300	138	1st	Government
Jun 1996		14,255,986	33.61%	116 / 300	162	2nd	Opposition
2001		22,833,978	40.97%	193 / 300	77	1st	Government
2008		22,757,101	32.50%	30 / 300	163	2nd	Opposition
2014		Boycotted		0 / 300	30	N/A	Extra-parliamentary
2018		11,113,253	13.06%	7 / 300	7	3rd	Opposition (until 10 December 2022)
							Extra-parliamentary (from 10 December 2022)
2024		Boycotted		0 / 300	7	N/A	Extra-parliamentary

See also

In Spanish: Partido Nacionalista de Bangladés para niños

• Politics of Bangladesh
• List of political parties in Bangladesh
  • Awami League
• Hartal in Bangladesh
• Economy of Bangladesh
• Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha