Bangladesh Tarikat Federation

The Bangladesh Tarikat Federation (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ তরিকত ফেডারেশন; abbreviated as BTF) is a right-wing Sufi political party in Bangladesh founded by Syed Najibul Bashar of the Maizbhandaria tariqah and some Pir-Mashaikh of Bangladesh. Bashar is currently the only MP representing the party in the Jatiya Sangsad.

Bangladesh Tarikat Federation
বাংলাদেশ তরিকত ফেডারেশন
AbbreviationBTF
PresidentSyed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary
General SecretarySyed Rezaul Haque Chandpuri
FounderSyed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary
Founded2005
Split fromBangladesh Nationalist Party
HeadquartersDhaka
IdeologySufism[1] (Maizbhandaria)
Conservatism (Bangladeshi)
Political positionRight-wing
ReligionIslam
National affiliationGrand Alliance
Seats in the Jatiya Sangsad
0 / 300

Formation edit

 
Founder and chairman of the BTF, Syed Najibul Bashar, pictured in New Delhi with Kiren Rijiju, the Indian Minister of State for Home Affairs in 2018.

The Bangladesh Tarikat Federation was founded in 2005 following Syed Najibul Bashar's resignation from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, as the party had allied with the Jamaat-e-Islami which Bashar accuses of supporting terrorists.[2]

Elections edit

During the 2008 Bangladeshi general elections, the federation had 45 candidates across the country but was unable to gain any seats.[3]

Following the 2014 Bangladeshi general elections however, the federation managed to gain two parliamentary seats; with Bashar in Chittagong-2 and the party's erstwhile secretary-general M. A. Awal in Lakshmipur-1.[4][5][6][7][8] In 2017, Awal attempted to form a coalition of Islamic parties which would include the Islami Oikya Jote along with the Khilafat Andolan, Faraizi Andolan and the Imam-Ulama Parishad. However, this attempt was opposed by Bashar, the chairman of the federation.[9] On 17 April 2018, Bashar replaced Awal with Syed Rezaul Haq Chandpuri as secretary-general.[10]

The party sought 30 seats to contest the 2018 Bangladeshi general election under the Grand Alliance. The party managed to only keep the Chittagong-2 constituency, which is also the headquarters of the Maizbhandaria order.[11]

Views edit

In reaction to the July 2016 Dhaka attack, Bashar claimed that the Qawmi Madrasah system was to blame for the emergence of Terrorism in Bangladesh.[12]

Election results edit

Jatiya Sangsad elections edit

Election Party leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
2008 Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary 19,905 0.03%
0 / 300
New   24th Extra-parliamentary
2014 177,449 1.04%
2 / 300
  2   5th Coalition government
2018 429,955 0.51%
1 / 300
  1   8th Coalition government


See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "South Asia Monitor India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met officials of the Bangladesh Tariqat Federation, a Sufi political party". South Asia Monitor.
  2. ^ "Refugee Review Tribunal Australia" (PDF). RRT Research Response. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Nomination submission List". Bangladesh Election Commission (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 11 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Syed Nazibul Bashar Maizvandary". Amar MP. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  5. ^ "MPO is a bad system: Muhith". New Age. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  6. ^ "Constituency 274". Bangladesh Parliament. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  7. ^ "Rana Dasgupta denies seeking Modi's help". The Daily Star. 20 June 2016. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  8. ^ "AL to wait for BNP's decision". The Daily Star. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Tariqat Federation to float new Islamic alliance". Dhaka Tribune. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Tariqat Federation removes its Secretary General MA Awal". Dhaka Tribune. 17 April 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  11. ^ "AL still undecided on seat sharing". The Independent. Dhaka. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  12. ^ কওমি মাদ্রাসার হাত ধরেই দেশে জঙ্গি সংগঠনের গোড়াপত্তন. Janakantha (in Bengali). 12 December 2018.