A number of retired military officers, former Members of Parliament, and independent lawmakers who contested the 2024 election are poised to launch a new political party by March, under the coordination of Brigadier General (retd) Md Shamim Kamal.
"A significant number of retired army officials, including lieutenant generals, major generals, and brigadier generals, have already aligned with the initiative. They are joined by former MPs from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and independent candidates from the last general election," said Brigadier General (retd) Md Shamim Kamal while speaking to a national daily recently.
“In our recruitment process, we are targeting individuals capable of leading constituencies,” said Kamal, the son of Mojibur Rahman, a seven-time Jatiya Party MP representing Lalmonirhat-2.
He currently has business interests in South Sudan and Uganda.
The move reportedly enjoys support from students of private universities, many of whom feel marginalised in the aftermath of the 5 August uprising, despite their pivotal role in the July protests.
While the name of the party remains undecided, it is expected to be unveiled by March.
An initial meeting took place on 2 February at Tower 71 near ECB Chattar in Dhaka, marking the first formal step towards the party’s formation.
According to the concept note drafted by the group, the party’s objective is to usher in “honest, educated, and patriotic individuals” into parliament, with candidates to be selected from grassroots levels.
“Our target is to secure 30 to 40 seats in the next election,” Kamal stated.
Kamal emphasised that the party will not accommodate controversial or corrupt individuals and will refrain from accepting donations from questionable sources. “If needed, we will fund the party ourselves. Our ideology is rooted in Bangladeshi nationalism,” he added.
The concept note outlines an agenda to dismantle dynastic and oligarchic political structures, promote a uniform education system with Bangla as the mandatory medium, and advocate for foreign policies that foster genuine alliances.
While the party’s short-term goal is to secure as many parliamentary seats as possible, its long-term ambition is to lead the government within a decade.
