NCP distances itself from Jamaat-led joint movement : Nahid Islam

The National Citizen’s Party (NCP) has announced that it is not part of the joint movement launched by Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamic parties to press their seven-point demand.

NCP Convener Nahid Islam clarified the party’s stance during a briefing on Friday after meeting grassroots leaders and activists at the Shaheed Abu Saeed International Convention Center in Shahbagh, Dhaka.

He said that while Jamaat and its allies are pushing for a proportional representation (PR) system in the lower house, the NCP only supports PR in the upper house.

“For the legal basis of the July Charter, there is no alternative to a Constituent Assembly election. That is why we are not aligned with Jamaat’s movement,” he said.

Nahid Islam further stated that the NCP will not enter into alliances with major political parties at this stage. Instead, it plans to move forward independently with its own political objectives. The party has instructed its members to prepare for a joint election of both the Constituent Assembly and the national parliament, and aims to relaunch activities with convening committees at the upazila level by October.

On the issue of electoral registration, he expressed optimism, saying, “We are about to receive our registration. The Election Commission has failed to provide any valid reason for not granting us the ‘Shapla’ (water lily) symbol, and we expect to secure it.”

NCP Member-Secretary Akhtar Hossain added that local leaders have raised concerns about the continued presence of former ruling party affiliates, calling for them to be brought under legal accountability.

LND/SAE