Communist Party of Bangladesh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Communist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি
Abbreviation	CPB
President	Shah Alam
General Secretary	Ruhin Hossain Prince
Founded	6th March, 1948
Split from	Communist Party of Pakistan
Headquarters	Mukti Bhaban, 2 Comrade Moni Singh Street, Purana Paltan, Dhaka, Bangladesh 1000
Newspaper	Ekota
Youth wing	Bangladesh Youth Union
Trade union wing	Bangladesh Trade Union Centre
Membership (2022)	8,953
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism
Political position	Far-left
National affiliation	LDA
International affiliation	IMCWP
Colours	Red
Election symbol
Party flag

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (Bengali: বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি) is a political group in Bangladesh. It follows the ideas of Marxism–Leninism, which is a type of communism.

History of the Communist Party

Forming the Party

After India was divided in 1947, a new country called Pakistan was formed. This included the area that is now Bangladesh. In 1948, delegates from these areas met in Calcutta. They decided to create the Communist Party of Pakistan. Nepal Nag became the first General Secretary of this new party.

Most of the party's strength was in what was then called East Pakistan. This area is now Bangladesh. East Pakistan was very far from West Pakistan, about 2,000 kilometers away. Also, the government in Pakistan often treated the party badly. Because of these reasons, communists in East Pakistan felt they needed their own separate group.

Becoming the Communist Party of Bangladesh

In 1968, the East Pakistan branch of the party held a secret meeting. They decided to become the Communist Party of East Pakistan. They also chose their own Central Committee. When Bangladesh became an independent country in 1971, this party changed its name. It became the Communist Party of Bangladesh, which is its name today.

The party played a big part in the uprising in 1969. They also helped during the non-cooperation movement in 1971. The CPB actively joined the nine-month fight for Bangladesh's independence in 1971. They formed a special group called the ‘Special Guerilla Force’. This group fought against the Pakistani army. Many communists also joined other fighting groups like the Mukti Bahini. Moni Singh, who used to be the CPB President, became a member of the Provisional Government of Bangladesh.

The Party in Independent Bangladesh

After Bangladesh became independent in 1971, the Communist Party of Bangladesh could work openly. They started a Trade Union Centre. This group helped organize workers and their movements. In 1973, the CPB joined with the Bangladesh Awami League and the National Awami Party. Their goal was to help establish socialism in the country.

In 1975, the government of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ended suddenly. This led to a period of military rule. The CPB leaders and members faced tough times under this new government. Many party leaders were arrested in 1976. In October 1977, the CPB was even banned. However, the ban was lifted in 1978, and their leaders were set free.

The CPB took part in the general elections in 1978. They also joined a group of 15 parties in 1983. This group was against the military rule of Hussain Muhammad Ershad. In the 1986 elections, the party won five seats. The CPB was also very important in the movement that removed Ershad from power in 1990.

Challenges and Changes

In 1991, the CPB faced a big challenge. This was because the Soviet Union and other communist countries in Eastern Europe changed their systems. Some party leaders wanted to dissolve the CPB and start a new, more democratic group. Others wanted to keep the party as it was. This disagreement became very strong in 1993.

The group that wanted to keep the party decided to continue the Communist Party in Bangladesh. They formed a new central committee. Comrade Shahidulla Chowdhury became president, and Comrade Muzahidul Islam Selim became general secretary. In 2010, another party, the Workers Party (Reconstituted) of Bangladesh, joined with the CPB.

How the Party Works

Ideas and Structure

The CPB believes in 'revolutionary internationalism'. This means they support working with similar groups around the world. Their main way of organizing is called Democratic centralism. This means that decisions are made by elected leaders, but everyone in the party should follow them.

The highest group in the party is the Party Congress. This meeting happens every four years. The Congress chooses a Central Committee. This committee is in charge when the Congress is not meeting. The 9th Congress in 2008 elected a 51-member Central Committee. They also chose a smaller group called the Presidium.

The CPB has groups in 62 of Bangladesh's 64 districts. They also have groups in 275 of the 520 sub-districts. These local groups help guide the party's activities. Party members are part of small local groups called 'primary branches'. These branches also help train new members. The party also allows 'associate members' who support their goals.

Working with People

CPB members and supporters work in many different groups. These include groups for workers, farmers, women, students, and young people. They also work with teachers, doctors, lawyers, and groups for cultural activities. Even though the party has about 25,000 members, they can bring together hundreds of thousands of people. This is because of their influence in these larger groups.

The main newspaper of the party is called Ekota. It is published every week.

Party Goals

The CPB aims for a 'revolutionary democratic transformation' of society. Their final goal is to achieve Socialism-Communism. They have a 17-point plan to reach this goal.

The party focuses on making itself stronger and growing its groups. They also want to unite communists and expand the Left Democratic Front. The CPB has also worked to bring together other left-wing groups. They want to offer a different choice from the two main political parties in Bangladesh.

Election Results

National Parliament Elections

Election	Party leader	Votes	%	Seats	+/–	Position	Government
1973	Mohammad Farhad	47,211	0.25%	0 / 300	New	7th	Outside Parliament
1979		75,455	0.39%	0 / 300	0	10th	Outside Parliament
1986		259,728	0.91%	5 / 300	5	7th	Opposition
1988		Did not participate		0 / 300	5	N/A	Outside Parliament
1991		407,515	1.19%	5 / 300	5	7th	Opposition
Feb 1996	Mujahidul Islam Selim	Did not participate		0 / 300	5	N/A	Outside Parliament
Jun 1996		48,549	0.11%	0 / 300	0	11th	Outside Parliament
2001		56,991	0.10%	0 / 300	0	10th	Outside Parliament
2008		42,331	0.06%	0 / 300	0	17th	Outside Parliament
2014		Did not participate		0 / 300	0	N/A	Outside Parliament
2018		55,421	0.07%	0 / 300	0	14th	Outside Parliament

Important Members

• Shaheed Tajul Islam (died 1984) — A leader of the Adamjee Majdur Trade Union. The CPB remembers his death every year.
• Mohammad Farhad (1938–1987) — A former leader of the CPB and a member of the Bangladesh Parliament.
• Haider Akbar Khan Rono - He was a secretary for the party in Dhaka city.
• Badruddin Umar - A member of the CPB's central committee.
• Shahjahan Siraj - A current member of the CPB's central committee.
• Moni Singh - One of the founding members of the party.
• Mohammad Toaha - Served as the party's general secretary from 1964 to 1974.
• Muzahidul Islam Selim
• Manzurul Ahsan Khan

See also

• Bangladesh Trade Union Centre