[🇧🇩] A New Political Party: National Citizen Party

[Saif]

NCP seeks revision of nomination submission, withdrawal deadlines

The National Citizen Party on Wednesday expressed concern about the Election Commission’s capacity for holding the national polls on February 12 next year...

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NCP seeks revision of nomination submission, withdrawal deadlines
Jamaat sees no level playing field

Staff Correspondent 24 December, 2025, 23:36

The National Citizen Party on Wednesday expressed concern about the Election Commission’s capacity for holding the national polls on February 12 next year.

The party urged the commission to reconsider the dates for submission of nomination papers and withdrawal of candidature, keeping the voting date unchanged.

Speaking after a meeting between an NCP delegation and chief election commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the commission headquarters in Dhaka, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary said that the party had requested the commission to consider whether these dates could be revised.

The Election Commission on December 11 announced the schedule for the 13th parliamentary election and the referendum on the July National Charter (Constitutional Reform) Implementation Order, both set for February 12 next year.

According to the schedule, the last date for submission of nomination papers is December 29, scrutiny between December 30 and January 4, and the final date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20.

The election campaign will run between January 22 and 7:30am on February 10, 48 hours before balloting.

Nasiruddin alleged that the Awami League was attempting to destabilise Bangladesh to delay the national election.

‘The Election Commission wants to conduct the election on February 12. From the National Citizen Party, we have emphasised that this date must not be postponed. We have requested the EC to ensure the polls are held on schedule,’ he said.

On concerns about the election, Nasiruddin said that the NCP was aware of risks, including the killing of one aspirant, and urged the EC to ensure security for all candidates.

‘We have asked the Election Commission not to make any small mistakes that can cause the polling date to be postponed,’ he said.

The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, on the other hand, on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to ensure a level playing field in the upcoming elections, saying that providing VVIP facilities to some candidates and denying them to others undermines fairness.

‘If some individuals receive numerous facilities, including VVIP privileges, while others do not, that cannot be considered a level playing field,’ said Jamaat assistant secretary general Ahsanul Mahboob Zubair while talking to reporters after a meeting with the chief election commissioner at Nirbachon Bhaban.

A three-member Jamaat delegation met the chief election commissioner to discuss their concerns.

Zubair said that senior party leaders, including the Jamaat amir and the party’s secretary general, would be conducting extensive tours across the country during the election period, and the party had highlighted their security needs.

He emphasised that ensuring equal treatment for all candidates was crucial for the credibility and fairness of the electoral process.​

 

[Saif]

Tarique’s return to strengthen democratic practice: Nahid

National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam on Thursday welcomed the return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh, saying his homecoming would further consolidate Bangladesh’s multiparty democratic practice. In a message posted on his verified Facebook account in the evening, N

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Tarique’s return to strengthen democratic practice: Nahid

UNB
Published :
Dec 25, 2025 19:06
Updated :
Dec 25, 2025 19:06

National Citizen Party Convener Nahid Islam on Thursday welcomed the return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh, saying his homecoming would further consolidate Bangladesh’s multiparty democratic practice.

In a message posted on his verified Facebook account in the evening, Nahid wrote that Tarique Rahman has returned to the country after 17 years, calling it a positive reflection of the democratic struggle that restored a citizen’s right to return to his own land.

“The return of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman to his homeland as a Bangladeshi citizen and political leader represents a meaningful outcome of the democratic movement,” he said.

Nahid said Tarique Rahman and his family had been subjected to state repression due to political dissent, forcing him to remain in exile for a prolonged period.

“Through the mass uprising, built on the blood sacrifice of thousands of martyrs, a situation has emerged that has enabled him and his family to return home,” he wrote.

Expressing hope for the future, Nahid said Bangladesh must uphold democratic values so that no political leader faces state persecution for holding dissenting views.

Referring to the political environment of the past decade and a half, he said the path toward a freer Bangladesh has now opened, with the core objective being to ensure the rule of law and political rights for every citizen.

Nahid expressed confidence that Tarique Rahman’s return would further strengthen the practice of multi-party democracy in the country.

“In the new political reality, our main challenge is to foster coexistence and build a culture of healthy political competition,” he said.

Welcoming Tarique Rahman back to the country, Nahid expressed the hope that his participation would be constructive in shaping Bangladesh’s democratic future.​

 

[Saif]

Tasnim Jara resigns from NCP

National Citizen Party (NCP) Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara has announced her resignation from her post in the party. In a Facebook post on Saturday, Tasnim Jara said she will run as an independent candidate in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election from the Dhaka-9 constituency, repo

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Tasnim Jara resigns from NCP

FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Dec 27, 2025 20:10
Updated :
Dec 27, 2025 20:24

National Citizen Party (NCP) Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara has announced her resignation from her post in the party.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, Tasnim Jara said she will run as an independent candidate in the upcoming 13th parliamentary election from the Dhaka-9 constituency, reported bdnews24.com.

She wrote that she has decided not to run as a candidate for any party or alliance.

The NCP had announced candidates for 125 seats on December 10 ahead of the parliamentary elections, with Jara named as the party’s candidate for the Dhaka-9 parliamentary seat.​

 

[Saif]

No ideological unity, this is an electoral understanding: Nahid Islam

National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam has said that his party will contest the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties. However, he emphasised that there is no ideological unity between the NCP and Jamaat...

en.prothomalo.com

No ideological unity, this is an electoral understanding: Nahid Islam
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 28 Dec 2025, 21: 49

NCP convenor Nahid Islam addresses a press conference held at the NCP’s temporary central office at Banglamotor, Dhaka in the night of 28 December 2025 Prothom Alo

National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam has said that his party will contest the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties.

However, he emphasised that there is no ideological unity between the NCP and Jamaat or its allies, describing the arrangement instead as an electoral understanding.

Nahid Islam made the remarks at a press conference held at the NCP’s temporary central office in the capital’s Banglamotor area on Sunday night.

Earlier in the afternoon, Jamaat-e-Islami and its like-minded parties had announced at their own press conference that the NCP would be part of their 10-party electoral understanding.

Speaking at the NCP press conference, Nahid Islam outlined the background to the understanding with Jamaat and eight other parties.

“From the outset, we have said that we wanted to contest the upcoming election independently and field candidates in all 300 constituencies. Our preparations and plans were proceeding accordingly. We invited interested candidates from across the country to seek nominations. Later, we reached a political understanding with two more parties—the AB Party and the Rashtra Sangskar Andolon. At that point, we stated that the three-party democratic reform alliance would contest the election together,” he said.

However, Nahid noted that the martyrdom of Sharif Osman Hadi and the fact that he was shot in public had significantly altered the country’s political context.

“Through this, we can see that hegemonic and aggressive forces are still active in Bangladesh. Those whom we defeated through the mass uprising are still conspiring to sabotage the election, obstruct reforms and the forward march towards a new Bangladesh, and to eliminate the July generation. Osman Hadi was shot that day; tomorrow it could be you, and the day after, it could be me. The primary and main targets across the country are the youth, citizens, martyrs’ families and wounded fighters who participated in the July mass uprising,” he expressed.

NCP leaders at the press conference held at the NCP’s temporary central office at Banglamotor, Dhaka in the night of 28 December 2025 Prothom Alo

In this changed context, Nahid Islam said, the NCP felt the need for broader unity in order to ensure a free, fair and competitive election, and to prevent any hegemonic force from blocking post-uprising progress.

“Driven by this necessity, we held discussions with Jamaat-e-Islami and eight like-minded parties, and the NCP has agreed to this electoral understanding. The NCP has decided to contest the election together with Jamaat and the eight like-minded parties,” he added.

Responding to journalists’ questions, the NCP convenor reiterated, “We have reached agreement on some minimum issues. There has been no overall or ideological unity. This is an electoral understanding. We have agreed on a few minimum points and will get through the election period together. This understanding is intended, on the one hand, to cross the electoral hurdle, and on the other, to uphold our minimum programmes on reform, justice, and opposition to hegemony and corruption.”

Nahid Islam said that a final announcement on party candidates would be made on Monday. “Those who are our candidates under this understanding will submit nomination papers. We will contest the election together across the country.”

In response to another question, the NCP convener insisted that the party has not deviated from its position. “We have entered into broader unity with the election in mind. The NCP will continue to work based on its own goals and ideals,” he said.

Asked whether the resignations of two female leaders from the NCP indicated internal fractures, Nahid Islam said that the decision on the alliance had been taken after discussions within the party’s executive council and based on the majority’s opinion.

Whether individuals choose to contest the election or remain in the party, he added, is a personal matter.

Replying to another question, he said that the NCP supports a “yes” vote in a referendum and will act in accordance with the commitments of the July Charter.

NCP member secretary Akhter Hossen delivered the welcome address at the press conference.

Also present were central leaders Nasiruddin Patwari, Hasnat Abdullah, Sarjis Alam, Ariful Islam Adeeb, Abdul Hannan Masud, Mahmuda Mitu, Dilshana Parul, among others.​

 

[Saif]

I am not part of this NCP: Mahfuj Alam

Stating that he was also offered a candidacy under the electoral negotiations between Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), Mahfuj Alam said that he is not becoming a part of this NCP. Mahfuj Alam made this statement in a Facebook post tonight, Sunday, following the announcement...

en.prothomalo.com

I am not part of this NCP: Mahfuj Alam
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Published: 28 Dec 2025, 21: 55

Mahfuj Alam File photo

Stating that he was also offered a candidacy under the electoral negotiations between Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), Mahfuj Alam said that he is not becoming a part of this NCP.

Mahfuj Alam made this statement in a Facebook post tonight, Sunday, following the announcement of electoral alliance between Jamaat and the NCP for the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election.

Besides Mahfuj Alam, many central leaders of the NCP have already either left the party or issued statements strongly opposing the decision regarding electoral negotiations with Jamaat.

Mahfuj Alam is one of the three student leaders who were in the council of adviser of the interim government as frontline leaders of the July uprising. His influence was present in the NCP and Nagorik Committee, the party and organisation of the youth who led the uprising.

However, there was discussion about whether he would be a candidate from the NCP after Mahfuj Alam left the advisory council at the beginning of this month. He has now clarified his decision to no longer be involved with this party after the engagement of the NCP with Jamaat was finalised.


Mahfuj Alam wrote on Facebook, “Nagorik Committee and NCP were organised under the frontline leadership of July. Since my July fellow fighters are in these two organisations, I have provided them with advice, instructions, and cooperation in policy matters whenever requested over the past year and a half.”

Stating that this relationship no longer exists in the current context, Mahfuj Alam wrote, “Respect, affection, and friendship for my fellow July fighters will not be erased. But, I am not becoming a part of this NCP. It is not true that I was not given an offer from the Jamaat-NCP alliance. However, maintaining my long-standing position is more important than becoming a candidate of the Jamaat-NCP alliance from any seat in Dhaka.”


The ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami, Shafiqur Rahman made the announcement during an emergency press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka on Sunday afternoon, 28 December, 2025.

Clarifying his position, he further wrote, “I have said many things, including a new political-economic settlement, the cultural struggle against fascism, tackling social fascism, reconciliation, and a society of responsibility and compassion. These are things my July fellow fighters have repeatedly said from the two aforementioned organisations. But, did they uphold these? I have made every effort to establish the NCP in an independent way as a big July umbrella. However, that was not possible for many reasons.”

Mentioning that Bangladesh is in a cold war in this current chapter of history, Mahfuj said, “In this chapter, it is better to remain firm in one's own statements and principles without taking any side.”

He said that the possibility of an alternative youth or July force has not yet ended, adding “Rather, I will continue what I have said over the past year and a half, and the principles I have believed in through all political, cultural, and intellectual means.”

Mahfuj Alam will welcome anyone who joins him. He also expressed optimism, claiming that a new political-economic settlement is possible and a realistic demand.

“The emergence of an alternative and moderate youth/July force is imminent,” he added.​

 

[Krishna with Flute]

Any Party emerged from this hooliganism will be a party of Goons.

 

[Saif]

We’ll work for coalition candidate, whoever he is: Nahid

National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam has said that although 47 nomination papers have been submitted on behalf of the party, the list is not yet final. Some additional nomination papers were submitted as a precautionary measure, taking into account possible errors and other...

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We’ll work for coalition candidate, whoever he is: Nahid
Staff Correspondent Dhaka
Updated: 29 Dec 2025, 22: 51

NCP convener Nahid Islam addresses a press conference at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka on 29 December 2025 Screengrab of a video

National Citizen Party (NCP) convenor Nahid Islam has said that although 47 nomination papers have been submitted on behalf of the party, the list is not yet final.

Some additional nomination papers were submitted as a precautionary measure, taking into account possible errors and other considerations, he explained.

The final number of NCP candidates would become clear within the next few days, Nahid added.

The NCP convener made the remarks at a press conference held on Monday evening at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka.

The NCP is contesting the 13th Jatiya Sangsad (national parliament) election as part of an 11-party electoral alliance that includes Jamaat-e-Islami, based on seat-sharing arrangements among the coalition partners.

Although the NCP initially nominated candidates in 125 constituencies, the final number of seats in which it will field candidates will be lower.

Referring to this issue, a journalist asked how the party would manage the concerns of those who had initially received NCP nominations but may now be excluded.

In response, Nahid Islam said, “Leaders and activists of the NCP across the country, as well as those of our affiliated organisations, will work in favour of a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum, and regardless of who the coalition candidate is, we will all work together for that candidate. This is in the interest of the party. And, the political decision we have taken at this time is based on the opinion of the majority. Therefore, everyone will accept this decision in the interest of the party and the broader political interest of the present moment. Any personal sacrifices made will be duly recognised and evaluated by the party in due course.”

Explaining why additional nomination papers had been submitted, Nahid Islam reiterated that discussions were ongoing and that the exact number of constituencies in which the NCP would field candidates would be clarified through consultations in the coming days.

At the same press conference, it was announced that former adviser to the interim government Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain had joined the NCP.

Nahid Islam described Asif Mahmud, whom he referred to as a “frontline fighter” of the July uprising, as a historic addition to the party, expressing hope that his inclusion would help advance the NCP’s goals and objectives.

Nahid Islam further announced that following his joining, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain would assume the role of spokesperson for the NCP, in addition to being appointed head of the party’s election management committee.

Sitting beside Nahid Islam at the press conference, Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain said that in the upcoming election he would work to ensure the victory of his fellow “comrades” from the uprising.

“As long as I can contribute to sending many more of our comrades from the July mass uprising to parliament, rather than focusing on any single individual entering parliament, and can fulfil my responsibilities properly, there can be no greater success than that,” he said.

Asif Mahmud also called on all forces that took part in the July uprising to remain united.

He expressed optimism that Bangladesh would successfully transition along a democratic path without violence. “I will continue to work towards this democratic transition.”

Calling on voters to cast a ‘yes’ vote in the referendum, Asif Mahmud said, “There will be two ballots in the election. On one ballot, you will elect your MP and the government, who will remain in office for five years. Whether they will keep their commitments or not remains uncertain. But if you vote ‘yes’ in the referendum and pass these reforms, I believe Bangladesh will advance by 100 years.”

Nahid Islam also informed the press that NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari had stepped down from the party’s election management committee due to his candidacy in the election.

Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has been appointed to replace him in that role. Nahid added that Asif Mahmud has also been included in the party’s highest political council.​

 

[Saif]

Is the NCP becoming what it once rejected?

The National Citizen Party (NCP) was born with a claim that it would not practise politics as usual.

www.thedailystar.net

Is the NCP becoming what it once rejected?

The National Citizen Party (NCP) was born with a claim that it would not practise politics as usual. Emerging from the ashes of the July uprising, it asked to be seen as a break from the old habits of convenience and compromise, pledging to distinguish itself through its political language, practice, and a sharper sense of responsibility.

That claim now faces an existential test.

Speculations swirling around a potential Jamaat-NCP alliance finally ended on Sunday afternoon when, at a press conference at the National Press Club, Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman officially announced a new electoral front. The NCP, alongside Colonel (Retd.) Oli Ahmed's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has now joined Jamaat's existing coalition—a definitive moment of reckoning for NCP.

A series of developments leading to the formal announcement has turned this coalition into an existential crisis for the party. Earlier, Tasnim Jara, a highly visible leader of NCP, resigned from her post as senior joint secretary to contest the Dhaka-9 constituency as an independent. The crisis then deepened with the resignation of Tajnuva Jabeen, a joint convener, and also a formal letter from 30 central committee members opposing any political alliance or seat-sharing arrangement with Jamaat.

Seat-sharing is not unusual in Bangladesh's politics. Elections are fought constituency by constituency, and any success depends on organisation, polling agents, and the capacity to protect votes. New parties often struggle because such structures take years to build. From a narrow electoral perspective, alliances can appear practical, even necessary. But the NCP did not enter politics asking to be judged by that standard alone.

Since its inception, NCP presented itself as the political expression. Its leaders spoke against shortcuts, recycled alignments, and moral ambiguity. They promised a new arrangement, repeatedly invoking "noya bondobosto" as a governing principle. That positioning mattered. It is why many young people, first-time participants, and politically unaffiliated citizens placed their trust in the party. The question is: what has changed then?

The official announcement validates the disturbing allegations made by Tajnuva Jabeen in a Facebook post upon her resignation. In it, she argued that the drastic cut in nominations, from 125 to a mere 30-40, was not an emergency measure, but a trap. The timing of Sunday's press conference—just a day before the final nomination deadline—confirms this view. By stalling the announcement until the eleventh hour, the NCP leadership effectively checkmated their own aspirants. Candidates who spent months campaigning, believing they were part of a nationwide effort to contest all seats, have been abandoned with no time to regroup as independents.

This procedural play is, in many ways, more damaging than the ideological one. As Jabeen pointed out, trust matters more than ideology. Inviting nominations with public fanfare, only to discard grassroots organisers in favour of a deal yielding fewer seats than even smaller Islamist factions are negotiating, signals a deep betrayal. It suggests the "July force" was willing to sacrifice the aspirations of the many to secure safe passage for a select few at the top.

The alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami also carries a weight that goes far beyond seat arithmetic. Jamaat's opposition to independence in 1971 and its role during the Liberation War are part of Bangladesh's mainstream political history. That history and resultant trust gap cannot be neutralised through electoral mathematics alone.

Tasnim Jara's decision brings the evolving tension into sharp focus. Announcing her independent candidacy, she acknowledged the disadvantages of running without party infrastructure, an organised worker base, or institutional access to security and administration. Yet she chose that path, citing her commitment to a new political culture and the promise she had made to voters. Her exit, alongside Jabeen's, also exposes a widening gender fault line. Reports suggest that other women leaders in senior positions feel similarly alienated. For a party that prided itself on the inclusive spirit of the barricades, the quiet and potentially growing exodus of women leaders represents a serious failure of representation.

The NCP central committee letter also makes it impossible to dismiss the issue as personal dissent. The 30 signatories invoke the party's declared ideology, the historical responsibility of the July uprising, and democratic ethics. They explicitly cite Jamaat's political past, particularly its role in 1971, as incompatible with the NCP's values. The letter further accused the prospective partner of engaging in espionage and sabotage within other parties and of conducting character assassination campaigns against the NCP's own female members through online platforms. That such warnings from leaders have been ignored is quite telling about the direction of the party.

Funding adds another layer of complications. The NCP presented itself as a citizen-funded alternative to patronage politics. Crowdfunding is not just a financial mechanism here; it is a political contract. Many contributors donated on the assumption that the party would not compromise with forces they consider historically and morally discredited. If the party now moves in a direction that violates that understanding, the cost may extend well beyond this election. Warnings came from within the broader July movement as well. Former coordinators like Abdul Kader cautioned that any alliance could damage the future of youth politics.

The NCP claimed to represent a new arrangement. Instead, it has silenced its own aspirants through procedural traps, trading its political promise for short-term expediency. The shapla koli has now officially been planted in Jamaat's garden. What will it do next?

Arafat Rahaman is a journalist at The Daily Star.​