Communist Party of Bangladesh
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Communist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি | |
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Abbreviation | CPB |
President | Shah Alam [1] |
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 | |
Website | |
cpbbd | |
Independence of Bangladesh |
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Events |
Organisations |
Key persons |
Related |
Bangladesh portal |
The Communist Party of Bangladesh (
History
After the
The main strength and activity of the newly constituted Party was in the province of East Pakistan (what is now Bangladesh). This eastern province was geographically separated from the western province by almost 2,000 km of Indian territory. Because of this wide geographical separation along with persecution by Pakistan government and uneven development of democratic movement in the two parts of Pakistan, the communists of East Pakistan felt the need to have an independent centre for further advancing their activities. The 4th Conference of the East Pakistan Provincial Committee of the Party, which met clandestinely in 1968, declared itself to be the 1st Congress of the Communist Party of East Pakistan and elected a Central Committee for the Party. With the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent state in 1971, this Party took its present name of Communist Party of Bangladesh.
The Party played a vital role in the
Independent Bangladesh
The independence of Bangladesh in 1971 opened up a new chapter in the history of the Communist Party of Bangladesh. The Party began to work legally and openly. The Party formed a
The CPB faced a great crisis in 1991 in view of the collapse of Soviet-style socialism in Eastern Europe, including the Soviet Union. The party leaders were divided into two camps, one in favour of dissolving the CPB and replacing it with a new platform on democratic lines, and the other in favour of maintaining the party in its original form. This conflict grew to be acute in 1993 when the two opposing groups arranged separate conventions in Dhaka. The Marxist–Leninist group, in their convention held on 15 June 1993, resolved in favour of the independent existence of the Communist Party in Bangladesh, and had their new central executive committee formed with Comrade Shahidulla Chowdhury as president and Comrade Muzahidul Islam Selim as general secretary.
The Workers Party (Reconstituted) of Bangladesh merged into the CPB in February 2010.[4]
Ideology and organization
Revolutionary internationalism is a cardinal aspect of its policy principles.
A 51-member Central Committee was elected by the 9th Congress of the Party (August 2008). A 7-member Presidium including the President and General Secretary were elected by the CC. There is also a national council of 191 members which sits at least once a year to advise and help the CC in implementing the decisions of the Congress. The Congress also elected a 4-member Control Commission. The CPB has organizations in 62 out of the 64 districts and 275 out of 520 sub-districts in Bangladesh. The district and sub-district committees coordinate and guide the activities of the zonal committees and the primary branches of the Party. Party members are organized in these primary branches, The branches on their part organise ‘activist groups’ which serve to prepare cadres for party membership. Besides party membership, the Party also provides opportunity to include ‘associate members’ from among supporters of the Party. Party members and activists are working in trade unions and mass organizations of agricultural workers, peasants, women, students, youth, children, teachers, doctors, lawyers, professionals, indigenous national minorities and aboriginal, cultural organizations etc. In spite of relatively small number of party members and associate members (taken together they total 25,000), the Party is capable of mobilizing several hundreds of thousands of people through its influence in these mass organizations.
The main organ of the party is Ekota, which is published weekly.
Strategy and tactics
The CPB is working with a strategy of bringing about a 'revolutionary democratic transformation of society and state' with the ultimate goal of Socialism-Communism. The Party has put forward a 17-point program in consonance with this strategic goal of 'revolutionary democratic transformation'.
CPB is giving special attention to strengthen the Party and the mass organizations, increase cohesion among the communists and move towards communist unity, strengthen and expand the Left Democratic Front.
CPB has also been working to bring together left-wing forces to provide an alternative to the current two major parties. CPB took active part in setting up an 11-party combination has been set up with this purpose. However, in recent developments the rest of this alliance has aligned within the 14-party alliance led by the Awami League.
Election results
Jatiya Sangsad elections
Election | Party leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1973 | Mohammad Farhad | 47,211 | 0.25% | 0 / 300
|
New | 7th | Extra-parliamentary |
1979 | 75,455 | 0.39% | 0 / 300
|
0 | 10th | Extra-parliamentary | |
1986 | 259,728 | 0.91% | 5 / 300
|
5 | 7th | Opposition | |
1988 | Boycotted | 0 / 300
|
5 | — | Extra-parliamentary | ||
1991 | 407,515 | 1.19% | 5 / 300
|
5 | 7th | Opposition | |
Feb 1996 | Mujahidul Islam Selim | Boycotted | 0 / 300
|
5 | — | Extra-parliamentary | |
Jun 1996 | 48,549 | 0.11% | 0 / 300
|
0 | 11th | Extra-parliamentary | |
2001 | 56,991 | 0.10% | 0 / 300
|
0 | 10th | Extra-parliamentary | |
2008 | 42,331 | 0.06% | 0 / 300
|
0 | 17th | Extra-parliamentary | |
2014 | Boycotted | 0 / 300
|
0 | — | Extra-parliamentary | ||
2018 | 55,421 | 0.07% | 0 / 300
|
0 | 14th | Extra-parliamentary |
List of prominent members
- Shaheed Tajul Islam(died 1 March 1984) — The leader of the Adamjee Majdur Trade Union who was killed in 1984. His death anniversary is observed by the CPB.
- Mohammad Farhad (5 July 1938 – 9 October 1987) — Former leader of the CPB and member of the Bangladesh Parliament.
- Haider Akbar Khan Rano - He served as the secretary of the party's Dhaka city unit
- Badruddin Umar - Member of the CPB's central committee
- Shahjahan Siraj - Current member of the CPB's central committee
- Moni Singh - Founding member
- Mohammad Toaha - Served as the party's general secretary from 1964 to 1974.
- Muzahidul Islam Selim
- Manzurul Ahsan Khan
See also
References
- ^ "CPB elects Shah Alam president, Ruhin Hossain Prince GS". 4 March 2022.
- ISBN 978-0-19-597908-4.
- ^ "Communist Party of Bangladesh". Banglapedia. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
- ^ "CPB, Workers Party faction merge". The Daily Star. 27 February 2010.