Communist Party of Bangladesh বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি | |
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| Abbreviation | CPB |
| President | Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan |
| General Secretary | Abdullah Kafee Ratan |
| Founded | 1968; 58 years ago (1968) (as Communist Party of East Pakistan) 1971 (current form) |
| Split from | Communist Party of Pakistan |
| Merged into | Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (1975) |
| Headquarters | Mukti Bhaban, 2 Comrade Moni Singh Street,Purana Paltan,Dhaka |
| Newspaper |
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| Student wing | Bangladesh Students' Union (nominal) |
| Youth wing | Bangladesh Youth Union |
| Trade union wing | Bangladesh Trade Union Centre |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-left |
| National affiliation | Democratic United Front LDA |
| International affiliation | IMCWP |
| Colours | Red |
| Slogan | দুনিয়ার মজদুর, এক হও! ("Workers of the world, unite!") |
| Anthem | "The Internationale" |
| House of the Nation | Parliament dissolved |
| Mayors | 0 / 1 [a] |
| Councillors | Post dissolved |
| District councils | Post dissolved |
| Subdistrict councils | Post dissolved |
| Union councils | Post dissolved |
| Municipalities | Post dissolved |
| Election symbol | |
 Sickle | |
| Party flag | |
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| Website | |
| cpbbd | |
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TheCommunist Party of Bangladesh (Bengali:বাংলাদেশের কমিউনিস্ট পার্টি, abbreviated:CPB) is the dominantcommunistpolitical party in Bangladesh. It emerged from theEast Pakistani wing of theCommunist Party of Pakistan in 1968.
Following thePartition of India, the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) split from theCommunist Party of India (CPI), and its East Pakistani wing was formed. However, the geopolitical separation and socio-economic differences between East andWest Pakistan led the East Pakistani wing of the CPP to form a separateCommunist Party of East Pakistan (CPEP) in 1968. The party actively participated in the1969 mass uprising and1971 non-cooperation movement and organiseda guerrilla force with theBangladesh Students' Union and theNational Awami Party (Muzaffar) during theLiberation War of Bangladesh. The party joined theBangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL) and was temporarily dissolved in 1975. It played an active role in the1990 mass uprising, the2013 Shahbag protests and the2024 July mass uprising.
As aMarxist–Leninist organisation, the party is structured according to the principle ofdemocratic centralism and has declared its objective as the "revolutionary democratic transformation of society and state". Following thedissolution of the Soviet Union, the party adopted a moreprogressive anddemocratic socialist platform. Since 2018, it has been a leading member of theLeft Democratic Alliance, a coalition of left‑wing parties. Kazi Sajjad Zahir Chandan has served as the party's president since 2025.
After the Partition of India in 1947, delegates fromPakistan, including present‑day Bangladesh, attended the2nd Congress of the Communist Party of India inCalcutta. On 6 March 1948, they held a separate session and established the Communist Party of Pakistan, withNepal Nag ofEast Bengal as its firstgeneral secretary.[2]
The main base of the newly formed party was in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). This eastern unit was separated from thewestern unit by nearly 2,000 km of Indian territory. The geographical divide, combined with repression from thegovernment of Pakistan and uneven development of democratic movements, led communists in East Pakistan to seek an independent centre for their activities. At its 4th Conference in 1968, held clandestinely, the East Pakistan Provincial Committee declared the meeting to be the 1st Congress of the Communist Party of East Pakistan (CPEP) and elected a Central Committee.
The party played a vital role in the1969 uprising and the subsequent nationwide upheaval, including thenon-cooperation movement of 1971. The CPB also actively participated in theBangladesh Liberation War. A "Special Guerilla Force" under the direct command of the CPB,National Awami Party (Muzaffar) andBangladesh Students Union fought against thePakistan army.[3] Communists also took part in the other segments of the armed resistance fighters, including theMukti Bahini and the newBangladesh Army.Moni Singh, the former president of CPB, was elected to the advisory council of theProvisional Government of Bangladesh.
Following theindependence of Bangladesh in 1971, the party adopted the name Communist Party of Bangladesh. It subsequently formed aTrade Union Centre to mobilise labour organisations along revolutionary lines. On 14 October 1973 the Gana Oikya Jote (Translation: 'People's Unity Alliance'; Bengali: 'গণ ঐক্য জোট') was formed, comprising theAwami League, CPB and NAP (Muzaffar), with a view to prepare ground for establishingsocialism in the country. At its 1973 congress in Dacca, the party adopted a new constitution and elected a 26‑member central committee, withMoni Singh as president andMohammad Farhad as general secretary. The party merged intoBangladesh Krishak Sramik Awami League (BaKSAL) on 25 January 1975 under PresidentSheikh Mujibur Rahman's "Second Revolution" programme.
On 15 August 1975, Sheikh Mujib wasassassinated by a section of the army, which ultimately brought the country under military rule. The CPB leaders and workers were victims of serious repression under the military government in 1975. The party leaders in the centre and at district levels were arrested, warrants were issued against many, and in October 1977, CPB was declared banned. In 1978 the ban on the party was, however, withdrawn, and its leaders were released. The CPB participated in the1979 general election. As a member of the Oikya Front, the CPB endorsed Zuhayr Zimam in the1978 presidential election. The CPB joined the 15-party alliance in 1983 against the military rule ofHussain Muhammad Ershad and participated in the1986 general election, where it secured five seats. The CPB played a vital role in the1990 mass uprising against Ershad.[4]
In 1991, following thecollapse of Soviet‑style socialism in Eastern Europe and theSoviet Union, the CPB entered a period of internal discussion regarding its future direction. Party leaders were divided between those who favoured dissolving the CPB in favour of a new democratic platform and those who supported maintaining the party in its original form. This debate grew in 1993 when the two opposing groups arranged separate conventions in Dhaka. TheMarxist–Leninist group, in their convention held on 15 June 1993, resolved in favour of the independent existence of the CPB and had their new central executive committee formed with Shahidulla Chowdhury as president andMujahidul Islam Selim as general secretary. AWorkers Party of Bangladeshfaction merged with CPB in February 2010.[5]
The party played a leading role in the2013 Shahbag protests, demanding the trial ofwar crimes of 1971. During thepremiership of Sheikh Hasina, the party organised anti-government protests and boycotted2014 and2024. The party actively participated in theJuly mass uprising in 2024.
Revolutionary internationalism is a cardinal aspect of the party's policy principles.Democratic centralism is the guiding organisational principle of the CPB. Theparty congress, which is convened every 4 years, is the supreme body of the party which elects acentral committee accountable to it. The central committee is the highest organ of the party during the interval between the two congresses.
The CPB has organisations in 62 out of the 64districts and 275 out of 520upazilas in Bangladesh. The district and upazila committees coordinate and guide the activities of the zonal committees and the primary branches of the party. The party members are organised 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.
The party members and activists are working in trade unions and mass organisations of agricultural workers, peasants, women, students, youth, children, teachers, doctors, lawyers, professionals, indigenous national minorities and aboriginal, cultural organszations etc. In spite of relatively small number of party members and associate members, the party is capable of mobilising several hundreds of thousands of people through its influence in these mass organisations.
The main organ of the party isWeekly Ekota (Translation: 'Unity'; Bengali: 'একতা')
As acommunist party, the CPB is committed tocommunism. The party identifies withMarxism–Leninism and maintains aclass‑based analysis of society. It is organised as avanguard party and pursues aunited front strategy. It works with a strategy of bringing about a "revolutionary democratic transformation of society and state." The party has put forward a 17‑point programme in consonance with this strategic goal of "revolutionary democratic transformation".[4]
After the fall of socialism in Eastern Europe and thedissolution of the Soviet Union, the party has continued to advocate for the advancement of the rights of theworking class, women, and ethnic and religious minorities.[6]
The party is known for regularly voicinganti‑imperialist views, especially in its criticism of the foreign policies of the United States, India, andPakistan. It firmly supports Palestinian independence and aone‑state solution and has voiced its opposition to theGaza genocide by Israel.[7][8]
The CPB expressed solidarity with thePalestinian people and condemnedIsraeli military actions in theoccupiedPalestinian territories. These statements called for an immediate end toviolence against civilians and urged theinternational community to upholdinternational law and protect Palestinian national rights. At a CPB rally in Dhaka held in response to the assault onGaza, the party described the attacks as a violation ofthe ceasefire, attributed responsibility to broader imperialist forces, and accused the United States and its regional allies of supporting the offensive.[7][9][10][11]
The CPB also issued a message of solidarity with theCuban people andgovernment, condemning the United States' economic, commercial, and financialblockade on Cuba and calling for its lifting. The party criticised the impact of the blockade over more than six decades, including its intensification during theCOVID‑19 pandemic and Cuba's designation as astate sponsor of terrorism.[12]
The CPB maintains contacts with foreign envoys and political parties. As part of these activities, the party has hosted meetings and participated in events involving representatives of several countries.[9][12][13][14]
In November 2024, Palestinian Ambassador Yousef S.Y. Ramadan attended a CPB‑organised discussion at theNational Press Club in Dhaka marking theInternational Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The event was presided over by CPB PresidentShah Alam and featured contributions from party leaders, civil society figures, and cultural organisations.[9]
The party met with the Chinese ambassador to discuss party‑to‑party relations and political cooperation.[13] It also held a meeting withVietnamese National Assembly ChairmanVương Đình Huệ during his official visit to Bangladesh, where the two sides discussed party‑to‑party relations, bilateral cooperation, and prospects for future economic and political engagement.[14]
The party favours maintaining the currentConstitution of Bangladesh and strongly supports the fundamental principles ofnationalism,socialism,democracy, andsecularism. It has repeatedly voiced opposition to any reversion of these principles. The CPB actively participated in the formulation of theJuly Charter following the July mass uprising but refused to sign it, alleginghistorical negationism related to the Liberation War.[15][16]
The CPB has been working to bring together left‑wing forces to provide an alternative to the current political system. It has given special attention to strengthening the party and its mass organisations, increasing cohesion among communists, moving toward communist unity, and strengthening and expanding theLeft Democratic Alliance.[17][18]
The party has also criticised labour conditions in Bangladesh, especially workplace safety inhazardous industries. It has argued that repeatedindustrial accidents show failures in oversight and regulation, blaming bothauthorities and factory owners for not ensuring proper safety measures. It has called for stronger enforcement oflabour laws, bettersafety standards, and greater accountability from employers.[6]
The CPB and the LDA have opposed government plans tolease parts ofChittagong Port to foreign companies. They organised protests and symbolic blockades, arguing that foreign control of key terminals would undermine national interests and threaten workers' rights, and called for the withdrawal of the proposed lease agreements.[19][20]
| 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 | N/a | Extra-parliamentary | ||
| 1991 | Mujahidul Islam Selim | 407,515 | 1.19% | 5 / 300 | 5 | 7th | Opposition |
| Feb 1996 | Boycotted | 0 / 300 | 5 | N/a | 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 | N/a | Extra-parliamentary | ||
| 2018 | 55,421 | 0.07% | 0 / 300 | 0 | 14th | Extra-parliamentary | |
| 2024 | Shah Alam | Boycotted | 0 / 300 | 0 | N/a | Extra-parliamentary | |
