Bangladesh Muslim League

The Bangladesh Muslim League (Bengali: বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ) is a political party in Bangladesh that traces its origins to the All-India Muslim League, established in 1906.^[1][2]

Bangladesh Muslim League বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ
President	Badrudozza Ahmed Suja
General Secretary	Kazi Abul Khair
Founder	Abdus Sabur Khan
Founded	August 8, 1976; 48 years ago (1976-08-08)
Preceded by	PML Convention PML Council PML Qayyum
Ideology	Muslim nationalism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
Religion	Islam
Election symbol

Working Committee meeting of Bangladesh Muslim League

Convention Muslim League, Council Muslim League and Qayyum Muslim League, breakaway groups of Pakistan Muslim League, were banned along with other Islamic parties after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971. It was once again legalized in 1976 when Abdus Sabur Khan united the three breakaway groups in Bangladesh and was elected president of the new party.^[3] A former leader of the party, Shah Azizur Rahman would become the Prime Minister of Bangladesh after joining the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.^[4]

History

The Bangladesh Muslim League traces its origins to the All India Muslim League of the British Raj established in 1906 in Dhaka with goals to support the Crown and to protect the Muslims of India without opposing the other groups in India.^{[citation needed]}

After the Partition of India and the Independence of Pakistan in 1947, the All India Muslim League became the Pakistan Muslim League. The Pakistan Muslim League was voted into power in East Pakistan. In the 1955 elections in East Pakistan, the Muslim League lost control of the provincial legislature to the United Front. In the 1960s, the Muslim League split into two separate parties, Convention Muslim League and the Council Muslim League.

In 1971, after the Bangladesh Liberation War, East Pakistan became Bangladesh and banned all religion-based parties including Convention Muslim League, Council Muslim League and Qayyum Muslim League.^[5][6]

In 1976, the Political Parties Regulation Ordinance was passed which legalized three parties. These parties then combined into one and formed the Bangladesh Muslim League on 8 August 1976.^[7][8] Later it was granted registration on 21 September 1976.^[9]

In 1978, the Bangladesh Muslim League separated into two factions. Abdus Sabur Khan led the conservative faction of the party and Shah Azizur Rahman led the more liberal faction. Azizur Rahman joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party soon after.^[8] The Bangladesh Muslim League, led by Abdus Sabur Khan won 20 seats in the 1979 parliamentary election.^[2]

After the death of Sabur Khan, the Bangladesh Muslim League divided into multiple factions.^[8] Kazi Abdul Kader later served as the president of the Bangladesh Muslim League. Two factions (the Bangladesh Muslim League and Bangladesh Muslim League - BML) still exist and are registered under the Bangladesh Election Commission.^[10]

The Bangladesh Muslim League's current president is Advocate Mohshen Rashid and the general secretary is Kazi Abul Khair.^[7][10]

References

1. Chakravarti, S. R. (1995). Bangladesh under Mujib, Zia, and Ershad: dilemma of a new nation. Har-Anand Publications. p. 108. ISBN 9788124103098.
2. Rahman, Syedur (2010). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810874534. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
3. "Khan, Abdus Sabur". Banglapedia. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
4. "Rehabilitators of Bangladesh war criminals will be tried now, Hasina says". bdnews24.com. Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
5. Rashid, Barrister Harun Ur (20 July 2011). "Religion-based political parties and the Bangladesh Constitution". The Daily Star. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
6. "Religious political parties banned by Bangladesh Supreme Court". Deutsche Welle. 13 August 2010. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
7. Jakaria, Kazi. "Bangladesh Muslim League (বাংলাদেশ মুসলিম লীগ)". Facebook. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2018.
8. Rahman, Syedur (2010). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. pp. 42–43. ISBN 9780810874534.
9. "৪টি দলের অনুমোদন লাভ". The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). 22 September 1976.
10. নিবন্ধিত রাজনৈতিক দলসমূহ [Registered political parties]. Bangladesh Election Commission (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 18 February 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2018.