25 small parties get 2pc votes in total

Twenty-five small political parties that fielded 716 candidates in the December 29 parliamentary election bagged only 2.38 percent of the total votes.

However, the 148 independent candidates in the polls got 2.95 percent of the total votes while four of them won parliamentary seats.

But no candidate of the 25 parties won any seat. Moreover, as per the preliminary calculation of the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat, most of them have lost their security deposits for poor performance in the polls.

However, despite poor performance in the election, all political parties, registered with the EC, are entitled to receive donations, a set of electoral rolls in a CD and broadcast facilities in the state-owned media during the general election.

Besides, as per the Representation of the People Order (RPO), the EC will consult with the small political parities, like the major ones, any election-related matter especially the problems and measures for holding election fairly.

In the previous elections, the performance of minor parties was almost the same.

Of the total 7,03,57,353 votes, the 25 parties bagged 16,59,945 while the independent candidates got 20,58,998.

The independent candidates performed better as four of them won seats while many others managed to save their security deposits.

Of the smaller parties, six got less than 0.01 percent votes, three 0.01 percent, three 0.02 percent and three others 0.03 percent votes.

The parties that got less than 0.01 percent votes include Ganotantri Party (five candidates, 2565 votes), Biplobi Workers Party of Bangladesh (five candidates, 2021 votes), Bangladesh Muslim League (five candidates, 1436 votes), Islamic Front Bangladesh (three candidates, 1347 votes), Freedom Party (two candidates, 566 votes) and Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal (one candidate, 297 votes).

Among the small political parties, Islami Andolan Bangladesh fielded highest 166 candidates who bagged 7,33,969 votes or 1.05 percent of the total votes.

Progotishil Ganotantrik Party led by Ferdous Ahmed and Bangladesh Kalyan Party led by Maj Gen (Retd) Mohammad Ibrahim drew public attention as the two parties were formed during the tenure of the present caretaker government.

But, both the parties performed poorly. Progotishil Ganotantrik Party got only 14,224 votes or 0.02 percent of the total votes fielding candidates in 21 seats while Bangladesh Kalyan Party bagged 21,726 votes or 0.03 percent of the total votes fielding candidates in 39 seats.

Bikalpadhara Bangladesh (BDB) led by former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury and Gono Forum led by eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain also performed poorly in the election.

BDB fielded candidates in 63 constituencies and got only 148154 votes which is 0.21 percent of the total votes.

Forty-five candidates of Gono Forum contested the election and bagged only 72,867 votes or 0.10 percent of the total votes.

However, two other small political parties Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) and Jatiya Ganotantrik Party (Jagpa), which are components of the four-party alliance performed better.

The IOJ fielded candidates in four constituencies and got 1,08,415 votes or 0.16 percent of the total votes while Jagpa contested two seats and bagged 1,07,796 votes or 0.15 percent of the total votes.

The other small parties include Jamiate Ulamaye Islam Bangladesh (six candidates and 1,73,633 votes or 0.25 percent), Zaker party (36 candidates, 1,29,289 votes or 0.19 percent), Krishak Sramik Janata League (46 candidates, 1,05,635 votes or 0.15 percent), Communist Party of Bangladesh (37 candidates, 42,167 votes or 0.06 percent), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (57 candidates, 38,888 votes or 0.06 percent), Bangladesh Islami Front (17 candidates, 31,450 votes or 0.05 percent), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (24 candidates, 29422 votes or 0.04 percent), Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish (nine candidates, 28546 votes or 0.04 percent), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation (31 candidates, 19,750 votes or 0.03 percent), Bangladesh National Awami Party (13 candidate, 19639 votes or 0.03 percent), Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan (30 candidates, 13,759 votes or 0.02 percent), National People’s Party (29 candidates, 13,699 votes or 0.02 percent), Bangladesh National Awami Party (six candidates, 8799 votes or 0.01 percent), Ganofront (14 Candidates, 3,990 votes or 0.01 percent) and Oikyabaddha Nagarik Andolan (11 candidates, 3,543 votes or 0.01 percent).