2023, a glance into Awami League's politics

Bangladesh Awami League successfully navigated political challenges and the global economic crisis in 2023. The 12th National Parliament Election is scheduled for January 7. Despite facing pressures, Awami League remained resilient and got opportunities to become a politically successful party. The party that was active on streets to tackle BNP, Awami League is now diverted its policies by getting involved in the electoral process. A victory in this election would mark Sheikh Hasina's party's fourth consecutive term in power.

This year was very challenging for Awami League. The party has to face several challenges including holding the 12th National Assembly elections, BNP's movement demanding a non-partisan government, visa policy, dealing with global economic recession, dialogue with political parties. And at the end of the year, the party is now standing at the door of the national parliament elections.

At the beginning of the year, the discussion on the presidential election arises. President Abdul Hamid completed his two consecutive terms on April 23rd. The election occurred a month before this date. However, the ruling party in the parliament, the Awami League, secretly put forward the retired judge, Sahabuddin, as their nominee. In February, he was elected without any opposition.

After the inauguration, the president engaged in dialogue to address the political crisis. Despite BNP's initial refusal, the president successfully held discussions with most political parties..

The City Corporation elections of Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barisal, and Gazipur took place during the mid-year. Despite the absence of BNP's participation in this electoral process, the political arena was still ablaze with fervor.

During the election season, the US visa policy becomes a prominent topic of discussion in politics. Various statements and counter-statements regarding this policy are made by party leaders and members. The party leaders have expressed that the Awami League aims to ensure a transparent and unbiased election process. They do not perceive any issues with the visa policy and instead believe that it will be implemented to counteract the disruptive political tactics of the BNP, which could potentially hinder the elections.

In the midst of the year, BNP made a strong entry into the political arena, demanding elections to be held under a neutral government. Their team actively operated from September to October. However, the Awami League also had a presence on the ground, implementing counter programs to thwart the movement. The clash between these two parties created a tense and unsettling atmosphere, although the election field remained relatively calm. Unfortunately, on October 28, chaos ensued as arson broke out at the BNP rally, resulting in police fatalities, attacks on journalists, and even an assault on the Chief Justice's residence. On that fateful day, BNP leaders and activists clashed with the police, leading to the unfortunate loss of a policeman's life and a political activist's demise. Moreover, 41 policemen and 28 journalists sustained injuries. The police reported that 55 vehicles were set ablaze during the unrest. In addition to the burning of several police boxes, the Chief Justice's residence also fell victim to the attacks. These incidents prompted the Awami League government to adopt a stricter stance. As the year draws to a close, the Awami League, having successfully confronted the BNP movement on the streets, is now poised to conduct a successful election.


By the conclusion of the year, the political landscape grew intense as the alliance-grand alliance's calculations revolved around the 12th national parliament election. Ultimately, the Awami League allocated 26 seats to Jatiya Party and 6 seats to the 14 party alliance partners. Additionally, the option of running as an independent candidate in the election has been made available. The party believes that this will encourage a participatory and competitive voting process, resulting in a significant voter turnout at the polling stations. Meanwhile, the entire nation is immersed in a celebratory atmosphere surrounding the election.