United People's Democratic Front

{{short description|Political party in the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh}}

{{Infobox political party

| name = United People's Democratic Front

| native_name = ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট

| native_name_lang = bn

| colorcode = #175684

| abbreviation = UPDF

| logo = United Peoples Democratic Front logo.svg

| president = Prasit Bikash Khisa

| general_secretary = Rabi Shankar Chakma

| founder =

| foundation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|p=y|1998|12|26}}

| headquarters = Chittagong Hill Tracts

| ideology = Autonomism

| position =

| national =

| international =

| split = Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti

| newspaper =

| colors = {{color box|#175684}} Blue

| seats1_title = Seats in the Jatiyo Sangsad

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|350|hex=Red}}

| website = {{URL|http://updfcht.com/}}

| flag = United Peoples Democratic Front flag.svg

| symbol = Bow and arrow

| country = Bangladesh

}}

United People's Democratic Front ({{small|abbreviated as}} UPDF; {{Langx|bn|ইউনাইটেড পিপলস ডেমোক্রেটিক ফ্রন্ট}}; [junaɪʈeɖ pipɔls ɖemokræʈik frɔnʈ]) is a regional political party based in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. Chakmas form the majority ethnic group in the party. The United People's Democratic Front claims to seek a fully autonomous Hill Tracts through peaceful and democratic means.

Founding

The United People's Democratic Front was founded on 26 December 1998 at a conference in Dhaka. At the end of the conference, a five-member convening committee was formed with Prasit Bikash Khisha as its convener.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

In November 2006, Prasit Bikash Khisha was elected to presidency by the party's central committee during a congress in Dhaka. In the same meeting, Rabi Shankar Chakma became the new general secretary.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

Elections

The UPDF took part in the eighth national parliamentary elections in 2001 and though failed to win in any of the two seats in CHT it contested, the party received a considerable number of votes cast, to the surprise of many analysts.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}

History

In July 2021, the party's Joan Chakma led a contingent of Chakmas to Suandrapara, a village of the Bawm community, where they issued threats and conducted two violent raids leading damaging a church.{{cite web|url=https://barnabasfund.org/news/bangladeshi-christian-villagers-forced-to-flee-after-violent-attacks-by/|title=Bangladeshi Christian villagers forced to flee after violent attacks by Buddhist extremists|date=2 August 2021|work=Barnabas Fund}} Towards the end of the same month, four of the party's members were arrested for extortion.{{cite news|url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2021/07/31/4-updf-members-arrested-in-rangamati|work=Dhaka Tribune|title=4 UPDF members arrested in Rangamati|author=Dhar, Bijoy|location=Rangamati|date=31 July 2021}}

In 16 April 2025, UPDF was accused of abducting 5 tribal university students who were members of PCP.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=24 April 2025 |script-title=bn:খাগড়াছড়িতে অপহৃত পাঁচ বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়শিক্ষার্থী মুক্ত: পাহাড়ি ছাত্র পরিষদ |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/district/13jmpw15r1 |access-date=24 April 2025 |website=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}

References

Category:1998 establishments in Bangladesh

Category:Political parties established in 1998

Category:Political parties in Bangladesh

Category:Political parties of minorities in Bangladesh