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

[Saif]

NCP’s Nusrat Tabassum’s nomination paper declared valid

The nomination paper of Nusrat Tabassum, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), for a reserved women’s seat in the 13th parliament has been declared valid by the returning officer.

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NCP’s Nusrat Tabassum’s nomination paper declared valid

Staff Correspondent
Dhaka
Published: 02 May 2026, 16: 14

Nusrat Tabassum

The nomination paper of Nusrat Tabassum, joint convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), for a reserved women’s seat in the 13th parliament has been declared valid by the returning officer.

Returning Officer Md Moin Uddin Khan informed journalists of this after scrutiny of nomination papers at the Election Commission building in Dhaka today, Saturday.

The deadline for submitting nomination papers was until 4:00 pm on 21 April. Nusrat went to submit her nomination shortly after the stipulated time that day, but the returning officer did not accept it then.

Later, Nusrat sought legal remedy, and the court directed the Election Commission to accept her nomination paper and take further action in accordance with the law. Accordingly, her nomination was accepted and reviewed.

Earlier, the nomination paper of NCP candidate Monira Sharmin was rejected during scrutiny. As she had not completed three years since leaving her job at the state-owned Krishi Bank, the returning officer declared her nomination invalid under the law.

On Thursday evening, the Election Commission published a gazette declaring 49 candidates elected to the reserved women’s seats of the 13th parliament.

Among them are 36 from BNP, 12 from the 11-party electoral alliance including Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizen Party (NCP), and 1 independent candidate.

Arrangements will now be made for the oath-taking of the members of parliament. Due to legal complications, the candidacy for one remaining seat has not yet been finalised.​

 

[Saif]

49 reserved women’s seats MPs sworn in, NCP nominee yet to take oath

The newly elected women Members of Parliament (MPs) took oath on Sunday to represent their respective parties from the reserved seats. Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, administered the oath at 9:07pm at the Oath Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. The oath-taking ceremony was conducted by...

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49 reserved women’s seats MPs sworn in, NCP nominee yet to take oath

UNB
Dhaka
Published: 03 May 2026, 22: 58

49 reserved women’s seats MPs sworn in, NCP nominee yet to take oath UNB

The newly elected women Members of Parliament (MPs) took oath on Sunday to represent their respective parties from the reserved seats.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, administered the oath at 9:07pm at the Oath Room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The oath-taking ceremony was conducted by Parliament Secretariat Secretary Golam Sarwar Bhuiyan.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, along with cabinet members and senior leaders of the ruling BNP, opposition Jamaat, and NCP, were present on the occasion.

Earlier on April 30, the Election Commission published a gazette declaring 49 lawmakers elected unopposed to the reserved women’s seats in the 13th parliament.

The 36 BNP alliance MPs are Selima Rahman, Shirin Sultana, Rasheda Begum Hira, Rehana Akter Ranu, Newaz Halima Arly, Farida Yasmin, Bilkis Islam, Shakila Farzana, Helen Jerin Khan, Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, Nipun Roy Chowdhury, Zeeba Amina Khan, Mahmuda Habiba, Sabira Sultana, Sunsila Jabrin, Sanjida Islam (Tulee), Sultana Ahmed, Fahmida Haque, Anna Minz, Subarna Shikdar, Shamim Ara Begum Swapna, Shammi Akter, Ferdousi Ahmed, Bithika Binte Hossain, Suraiya Jerin, Mansura Akter, Jahrat Adib Chowdhury, Momtaz Alo, Fahima Nasrin, Arifa Sultana, Sanjida Yasmin, Nadia Pathan Papon, Shawkat Ara Akter, Madhabi Marma, Selina Sultana and Rezeka Sultana.

The 12 Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance newly elected lawmakers include Nurunnisa Siddika, Marzia Begum, Sabikun Nahar, Nazmun Nahar, Mahfuza Hannan, Sajeda Samad, Shamsunnahar Begum, Marzdia Momtaz, Rokeya Begum (mother of July martyr Jabir Ibrahim), Mahmuda Alam Mitu (NCP), Tasmia Pradhan (Jagpa) and Mahbuba Hakim (Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish).

The independent MP for the lone reserved seat is Sultana Jasmin.

There are 50 reserved seats for women in the Parliament. For the last remaining seat, which is supposed to go to the National Citizen Party, the Election Commission initially rejected the nominations of two NCP aspirants - Monira Sharmin''s candidacy was deemed ineligible, while Nusrat Tabassum submitted her paperwork late.

Although the nomination of Nusrat was later declared valid, it came too late for her to be sworn in today alongside the others. Sharmin meanwhile herself has an appeal pending over the matter of her nomination in the High Court.​

 

[Saif]

Can NCP progress while remaining aligned with Jamaat?

Party leaders argue that the NCP has not yet developed the organisational strength necessary to operate independently within just one year.

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Can NCP progress while remaining aligned with Jamaat?

Asif Howladar
Dhaka
Published: 09 May 2026, 14: 00

The National Citizen Party won six seats in the 13th parliamentary elections, contesting under the Shapla Kali symbol. Taken from NCP's Facebook page

The National Citizen Party (NCP), formed through the July mass uprising, had raised hopes among many. However, ahead of the election, the party faced an internal crisis over forming an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.

Several leaders also left the party. Questions later emerged during NCP meetings about how long the alliance with Jamaat would continue after the election. So far, however, indications suggest that the NCP intends to continue alongside Jamaat.

Party leaders argue that the NCP has not yet developed the organisational strength necessary to operate independently within just one year. That, in turn, has raised another question: can the NCP establish a distinct political identity in this way?

Discussions with NCP leaders revealed that the party wants to build a broader movement to implement the referendum mandate. However, leaders believe the party currently lacks the organisational capacity to carry out such a movement alone.

For that reason, the NCP wants to remain within the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, intensify the movement, and increase pressure on the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossen spoke at an 11-party rally in Dhaka on 4 April demanding the implementation of the referendum verdict.Taken from NCP's Facebook page

NCP senior joint convener Ariful Islam Adeeb told Prothom Alo, “Implementing the referendum mandate and the July Charter through party programmes and through the 11-party alliance by building a mass movement is now the NCP’s priority. The full implementation of the July Charter is essential to prevent the resurgence of a fascist system.”

Following the removal of the Awami League government during the July mass uprising, political parties held discussions with the interim government that later produced the July National Charter aimed at reforming the state structure.

The 11-party alliance alleges that the BNP, after assuming power, has moved away from implementing that charter. As a result, the alliance wants to continue pressuring the BNP.

In addition, the NCP plans to contest the upcoming local government elections as part of the alliance. The party’s policymakers believe local government elections provide an effective opportunity to expand the organisation at the grassroots level.

They think the party can strengthen its organisational foundation if it succeeds in electing a significant number of candidates to union councils, upazila councils, municipalities, and city corporations across the country.

Three senior NCP leaders, including two members of parliament, spoke about this strategy on condition of anonymity. They said the NCP’s principal political commitment is reforming the state system to eliminate fascism.

The NCP wants to remain within the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance, intensify the movement, and increase pressure on the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

However, without expanding the party organisation, the NCP cannot pursue that objective in the long term. Yet the party’s organisational strength has still not reached the expected level. As a result, the NCP has, in many ways, become compelled to engage in alliance politics.

Before the 13th National Parliamentary Election, a section of the NCP objected to forming an alliance with Jamaat. However, a larger section supported the alliance. Subsequently, at least 17 central leaders resigned from the party, while several others became inactive in politics.

Despite the internal backlash, NCP policymakers remained firm on contesting the election as part of the Jamaat-led alliance. A number of 30 NCP candidates contested the election as nominees of the 11-party alliance.

Among them, party convener Nahid Islam, member secretary Akhtar Hossen, and four others won seats and now serve in parliament.

Implementing the referendum mandate and the July Charter through party programmes and through the 11-party alliance by building a mass movement is now the NCP’s priority. The full implementation of the July Charter is essential to prevent the resurgence of a fascist system.

Will the party retain its distinct identity?
Reports suggest that a section of the NCP’s current leadership also opposes remaining allied with Jamaat. However, that faction appears to hold limited influence within the party.

Many people outside the party also regularly criticise the NCP for remaining in the alliance. Critics question whether the NCP can establish itself as an independent political force while staying aligned with Jamaat.

Some also frequently criticise the party on social media by highlighting that a section of NCP leaders was once involved with the politics of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Abdul Kader, who served as a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement during the July mass uprising and gained prominence after announcing the nine-point demands, is among the strongest critics of the NCP’s alliance with Jamaat.

In a Facebook post on 22 April, he wrote, “If the NCP becomes a party outwardly but a ‘proxy wing’ internally, then what future does the NCP have as a political party?”

Before the elections, the leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP), including its convener Nahid Islam and member secretary Akhtar Hossen, attended rallies in various parts of the country. Taken from NCP's Facebook page

However, according to a senior NCP leader, the ideologies of the NCP and Jamaat differ significantly.

He said the party has had to engage in alliance politics because it has not yet developed sufficient organisational capacity. He also noted that, at present, the Jamaat-led alliance remains the most active political party opposing the BNP.

NCP leaders despite remaining in the alliance, sought to explain that the party’s fundamental principles differ from those of Jamaat. On 9 April, they presented their position in parliament on a particular issue.

On that day, parliament introduced a bill to convert the Jatiyo Muktijoddha Council (Jamuka) Ordinance into law while retaining the names of the then Muslim League, Jamaat-e-Islami, and Nezam-e-Islam Party as collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces during the Liberation War.

Although Jamaat objected to the bill, the NCP stated that it had no objection to the proposed legislation.

In addition, the NCP is trying to bring back those leaders and activists who resigned from the party over the alliance with Jamaat.

Regarding the matter, Ariful Islam Adeeb, a member of the NCP’s highest policymaking body, the political council, said that party leaders are maintaining communication and holding discussions with those who resigned in an effort to persuade them to return.

However, there has so far been no indication that any former member is preparing to rejoin the party.​