Jatiya Party and 14-Party Alliance face uncertain future after Hasina’s fall

As Bangladesh prepares for its next general election, the future of the Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance and its long-time partner, the Jatiya Party, is in deep doubt. The alliance, forged in 2004 and central to Sheikh Hasina’s long grip on power, has been effectively paralysed since the student-led July Uprising of Aug 5, 2024, which toppled her government. Hasina herself fled to India. Far from preparing for elections, Awami League’s allies appear politically stranded. Some admit they are unsure how to regroup, while others fear outright extinction. The Jatiya Party, branded by critics as a “domesticated opposition” under Hasina, has suffered repeated splits. In August this year, it faced yet another fracture, compounding years of internal strife. Meanwhile, alliance partners...