The "Safe Back to School" campaign alliance, which was formed following the Covid situation to bring back students to school, has started a new journey to ensure inclusive quality education for all in the country, under a new name: "Education Alliance Bangladesh – EAB." The declaration of this new name came at the Education Summit 2023 Wednesday in Dhaka. "Let's Work Together to Ensure Inclusive Quality Education in Bangladesh," is the new slogan of the alliance. During the opening ceremony, Onno van Manen, Save the Children Country Director said: "This alliance aims to continue working together so that we can reach a larger number of children who require our assistance. We need to elevate the voices of the children through this platform." The alliance will support the government to mitigate challenges related to quality and inclusive education. It will work with the government to strengthen the education system by taking initiatives to popularise technical/vocational education and fostering partnerships among education actors for accelerating a joyful learning environment. The closure of educational institutions from March 17, 2020, to February 14, 2021, required the launch of mass awareness campaigns as it triggered children dropout rates from schools in both urban and rural areas, causing an increase in child labour and child marriage. Against this backdrop, national and international NGOs working for the education sector in Bangladesh united themselves under the Safe Back to School. Safe Back to School's awareness campaign, research study, and advocacy-related discussions with government officials and stakeholders underlined the need for long-term activities to ensure the scope for education for all children in Bangladesh. The alliance members are Brac, British Council Bangladesh, CAMPE, Dhaka Ahsania Mission, Educo Bangladesh, FIVDB, Friendship, Habitat for Humanity Bangladesh, Humanity and Inclusion, Jagorani Chakra Foundation, Leonard Cheshire, Plan International Bangladesh, Room to Read, Save the Children, Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, Sight Savers Bangladesh, Stromme Foundation, Teach for Bangladesh, Voluntary Service Overseas, World Vision Bangladesh, and Young Power in Social Action. Read more: 'Safe Back to School’ campaign pledges full support for reopening    

Khelafat Majlis on Friday quit the BNP-led 20-party alliance as the party thinks it has become an ‘ineffective’ opposition platform. Khelafat Majlis acting secretary general Advocate M Jahangir Hossain came up with the announcement at a press conference at a restaurant in the city after a meeting of the party’s top decision-making body, Majlis-e-Shura. He said the meeting unanimously decided to part away with the 20-party alliance. Jahangir said Khelafat Majlis has been there in the 20-party alliance for 22 long years, but it has not had any visible political activities and programmes since 2019. “The 20-party alliance was apparently made ineffective through the formation of Jatiya Oikyafront since 2018,” he said. "Considering the ideological, organisational position and political situation, our party’s Majlis-e-Shura today decided that Khelafat Majlis will play a role in the field with its own unique characteristics as an ideological organisation. We’re severing relations with all political alliances, including the 20-party one, from now on," Jahangir said. Replying to a question, he said their party will not involve with any other political alliance. Earlier, around 200 members of Majlis-e-Shura joined the meeting with Moulana Ishaq in the chair. On July 14 last, a faction of Jamiat Ulama-e Islam, another component of the BNP-led 20-party alliance, left the alliance. In 1999, the BNP-led four-party alliance was formed to intensify the movement against the then Awami League-led government. The alliance got a massive victory in 2001 election. The four-party alliance was expanded to a 20-party one in 2012, but many of its partners, including Islami Oikya Jote, Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP), NAP and NDP left the party at different times.