Weekly Ekota

Weekly Ekota (Bengali: সাপ্তাহিক একতা, lit. 'Weekly Unity')^[1][2] is an weekly newspaper of Bangladesh. It is also the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB).^[3][4][5]

On 31 July 1970, Weekly Ekota began its journey as the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of East Pakistan, Journalist Bazlur Rahman was the founding editor of the weekly publication.^[4][6]

On 26 March 1971, after the beginning of Operation Searchlight and the Bangladesh War of Independence, Publication of weekly Ekota was temporarily stopped and as a replacement, an newspaper named 'Muktijoddha' became the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of East Pakistan.^[6]

In February 1972, publication of Weekly Ekota was resumed after the independence of Bangladesh.^[6]

On 1975, publication of Ekota was again paused after Sheikh Mujibur Rahman banned all newspapers except 4 pro-government publications and established a one-party state and dictatorship (BAKSaL).^[6][7]

On 2 February 1979, publication of Weekly Ekota was again resumed when Bangladesh was under rule of Ziaur Rahman and closed newspapers were again being opened.^[7]

On 6 September 1981, Weekly Ekota was relaunched as the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB).^[3]

In 1986, after the general election, Hussain Muhammad Ershad gave orders to close the newspaper for 1 year and 3 months, but Ekota resumed its publication in March 1987 and was involved in the anti-Ershad movement.^[7]

In the early 1990s, publication of Ekota was again paused, but the publication of the newspaper resumed again in 1996.^[6]

The newspaper is left-leaning, supportive of left-wing ideologies, communism and the mouthpiece of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB).^[8][9]