Holding the Constituent Assembly and National Elections together depends on political goodwill and consensus, said Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP). He emphasized that if consensus is reached, simultaneous elections within the desired timeframe are possible, adding that the context of the election is more important than its timing.
Speaking at a press conference following NCP’s first general meeting on Friday, Nahid condemned recent violence against women and urged the interim government to ensure women’s safety in public spaces. He called for swift justice for perpetrators and criticized the ongoing cyberbullying of female party members, blaming followers of the past authoritarian regime for targeting women in politics.
Regarding his Reuters interview, Nahid clarified that his statements were misquoted and mistranslated. He asserted that he did not claim elections were impossible this year but highlighted the challenges posed by the deteriorating law enforcement situation. He also addressed misinformation about NCP’s funding, explaining that the party is turning to online and offline crowdfunding for election expenses and office establishment.
While affirming NCP’s preparedness for elections, Nahid stressed the importance of justice for the July killings and the implementation of the July Reform Charter before any electoral process. He called for all political parties to sign the charter, making their stance on reforms transparent to the public.
Regarding NCP’s electoral plans, Nahid stated that the party is focusing on fulfilling registration requirements and expanding its organizational structure before making decisions on alliances or candidates.
The party announced its first programs, including an iftar event on March 10 at Suhrawardy Udyan in honor of families of July-August movement martyrs and injured individuals, followed by an iftar gathering on March 11 with political leaders, civil society members, and business figures.
Liberty News’ political correspondent states that senior NCP leaders, including North Region Chief Organizer Sarjis Alam, South Region Chief Organizer Hasnat Abdullah, and Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwari, were also present at the event.
LND/BG
