Internal Rift in Student-led NCP Ahead of Bangladesh Elections

The National Citizen Party is experiencing internal conflict regarding a potential alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of the February elections. Thirty leaders have opposed the plan, citing concerns over party values and Jamaat’s controversial history.

International

-Sathish Raman

An
internal
conflict
has
erupted
within
the
student-led
National
Citizen
Party
(NCP)
over
a
proposed
alliance
with
Jamaat-e-Islami
before
the
Bangladesh
election
in
February.
Thirty
leaders
have
opposed
this
plan,
and
two
senior
members
have
resigned.
The
NCP,
which
evolved
from
Students
Against
Discrimination
(SAD),
gained
political
status
after
the
July
Uprising
that
led
to
the
fall
of
Sheikh
Hasina’s
government.

The
memorandum,
titled
“Principled
objections
to
a
potential
alliance,” was
sent
to
party
convenor
Nahid
Islam.
It
highlights
concerns
about
aligning
with
Jamaat,
arguing
it
contradicts
the
NCP’s
ideology
and
values
from
the
July
Uprising.
The
memo
also
criticises
Jamaat’s
controversial
past,
including
its
alleged
role
against
Bangladesh’s
independence
and
involvement
in
the
1971
Liberation
War.

Concerns
Over
Political
Credibility

The
document
warns
that
an
alliance
with
Jamaat
could
damage
the
NCP’s
credibility
and
public
trust.
It
suggests
this
move
might
confuse
and
disappoint
supporters,
particularly
younger
activists
who
favour
new
politics.
The
memo
also
accuses
Jamaat’s
student
wing,
Chhatra
Shibir,
of
infiltrating
other
parties
to
blame
the
NCP
for
various
incidents.

Tasnim
Jara,
the
NCP’s
senior
joint
member-secretary,
resigned
on
Saturday
evening.
She
announced
her
intention
to
run
as
an
independent
candidate
in
Dhaka’s
parliamentary
election.
In
a
Facebook
post,
Jara
stated
she
would
not
represent
any
specific
party
or
alliance
due
to
current
political
realities.
Her
resignation
did
not
explicitly
mention
the
proposed
alliance
with
Jamaat.

Female
Leaders’
Opposition

Reports
indicate
that
many
female
NCP
leaders
oppose
an
alliance
with
Jamaat
or
any
religion-based
parties.
Senior
joint
convenor
Samata
Sharmin
and
others
have
expressed
reservations
about
this
potential
partnership.
Despite
this
opposition,
most
signatories
of
the
memo
were
male
members
of
the
NCP.

The
Daily
Star
newspaper
reported
that
the
NCP
is
likely
to
finalise
a
seat-sharing
agreement
with
Jamaat
soon.
However,
Jamaat’s
secretary
general,
Mia
Golam
Parwar,
mentioned
ongoing
discussions
with
the
NCP
on
a
one-on-one
basis.
He
indicated
that
seat-sharing
possibilities
would
become
clear
shortly.

Political
Landscape
Shifts

Earlier
reports
suggested
a
possible
seat-sharing
deal
between
the
NCP
and
Khaleda
Zia’s
Bangladesh
Nationalist
Party
(BNP),
but
no
agreement
was
reached.
Since
then,
talks
between
the
NCP
and
Jamaat
have
progressed
positively.
The
BNP
has
emerged
as
a
key
player
in
the
changing
political
scene,
with
Jamaat
now
appearing
as
its
main
rival
following
the
Awami
League’s
disbandment
by
an
interim
government
order.

The
situation
remains
fluid
as
both
parties
continue
discussions.
The
outcome
of
these
negotiations
could
significantly
impact
Bangladesh’s
political
landscape
ahead
of
the
upcoming
election.

With
inputs
from
PTI