Jatiya Nagorik Party to be floated today

A new political party named Jatiya Nagorik Party (JNP) is to be floated today (Friday) with its avowed mission to realise objectives of the July-August uprising for rebuilding Bangladesh as a democratic, equitable state for the citizens.

Just-resigned interim government adviser Nahid Islam heads the party named National Citizens' Party or NCP in English.

The political party -- emerging from its bastion on academic campuses -- is being launched under the initiative of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and Students Against Discrimination who had spearheaded the 'anti-fascism' movement that eventually toppled the Sheikh Hasina government in a student-mass uprising.

Nahid Islam has been decided to be appointed party convener, with Akhter Hossen serving as its member-secretary. Additionally, Hasnat Abdullah has been designated as chief organiser (South) and Sarjis Alam as chief organiser (North) while Nasiruddin Patwary as chief coordinator.

The decisions were made during a joint meeting of the Nagorik Committee and Students Against Discrimination, held on Thursday noon at the Nagorik Committee's central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka.

Several committee leaders involved with the party formation confirmed the party's name and key leadership roles.

Meeting sources indicated that the positions of senior joint convener and senior joint member- secretary remained undecided, "as multiple candidates are under consideration".

The official launch of the party takes place this (Friday) afternoon at an open ceremony at Manik Mia Avenue, where the final leadership lineup will be formally announced.

There has been a great deal of hypes and contemplations over this party's emergence with mostly young Turks and alumni of universities.

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