A timeline of how JaPa went from 'no election under AL' to sharing seats with them

Flips, flops, changing positions – these are some common features of the Jatiya Party in the runup to elections. This time around, it was no different.

On Sunday, after threatening another split in the party, the JaPa finally declared that it had reached an understanding with the ruling AL.

In October, the party's Chairman GM Quader had announced that JaPa would not join the national elections under the AL government.

By mid-December, following intra-party conflicts and formation of new factions, the JaPa has become the biggest beneficiary of AL's seat sharing.

This is a timeline of JaPa's see-saw decision making between 9 October till 17 December:

9 October 2023

GM Quader says JaPa has not taken any decision to join the polls

18 November

The Election Commission (EC) receives two letters from the Jatiya Party, one on behalf of GM Quader, the brother of party's founder HM Ershad, and the other signed by Raushan Ershad, the founder's wife

The first letter declares intention to contest elections. The second hints at an alliance

19 October

GM Quader announces that his party will not participate in any other elections under an AL-led government

2 November

Going completely against his previous announcement, GM Quader tells the British high commissioner in Dhaka that JaPa will join the 12th JS polls

3 November

Denying his announcement from a day earlier, Quader says he did not speak about participating in the elections

14 November

In the afternoon, GM Quader says his party will decide on joining polls after analysing the ongoing situation. Later, that day, he meets President Mohammed Shahabuddin

20 November

The JaPa begins selling nomination forms in the morning

However, in midday, Quader says even though the party has started selling nomination forms, it has not finalised any decision regarding joining the polls

22 November 

JaPa General Secretary Mujibul Haque Chunnu "officially announced" that the party will participate in the upcoming polls

27 November

JaPa nominates candidates in 287 seats, leaving out the party's chief patron Raushan Ershad

7 December

Chunnu says there was no need for seat-sharing with the ruling AL

12 December

Raushan Ershad meets PM and urges her not to go into alliance with JaPa

JaPa sources say Raushan has no authority to make party decisions

14 December

Chunnu says the JaPa was not looking to create drama or withdraw from the elections.

16 December

Hinting at nearing a seat-sharing agreement with the AL, Chunnu says the party will not disclose its 'love letter' with the AL immediately

17 December

In the morning, Chunnu says the party will finally make its position on joining the polls clear in the afternoon

As the window for withdrawing nominations ends in the afternoon, Chunnu confirms that JaPa will 'strongly participate' in the 12th JS polls

He also says seat-sharing between AL and JaPa has been completed