NCP seeks constituent assembly to formulate new constitution

National Citizens Party (NCP) was ceremoniously launched Friday with the vision of building a second republic in Bangladesh based on a new constitution that guarantees democratic dispensation and blocks dictatorial rule.

The party demanded constituent assembly election to formulate the envisaged new constitution of a 'new Bangladesh'.

Nahid Islam, convener of the newly formed party, told the launching grand rally at Dhaka's Manik Mia Avenue that Bangladesh shall never be divided again and that there shall be no room for pro-India or pro-Pakistan politics in the country.

"There will be no room for pro-India or pro-Pakistan politics in Bangladesh. We all will build politics and the state unitedly, keeping Bangladesh and the interests of its people in mind," he said to applause from the party adherents.

Emerging from the student-led uprising that toppled the Awami League government last year, the NCP seeks to establish Bangladesh as a democratic and equitable state, free from political polarization.

The event, attended by thousands of supporters from across the country, was organised by Jatiya Nagorik Committee (JANAC) and Students Against Discrimination (SAD), two platforms that played key roles in last year's mass movement.

Nahid Islam, a former interim government adviser and a prominent student leader, was declared convener to steer the newly formed party to its goals.

The official announcement of the party came at 6:15pm when Mim Akter, a sister of July martyr Ismail Hossain Rabbi, revealed the name of the National Citizens Party while addressing the massive crowd gathered at avenue.

LED screens displayed visuals of last year's July-August uprising, showing the struggles and sacrifices of the protesters.

The launching event was attended by families of uprising martyrs, leaders from various political parties, and foreign diplomats stationed in Dhaka.

Among the notable guests were BNP leaders Ruhul Kabir Rizvi and Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, along with representatives from Jamaat-e-Islami, Khelafat Majlis, Islami Oikya Jote, Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Liberal Democratic Party, Ganosamhati Andolan, and Nagorik Oikya. Foreign envoys also marked their presence, including Political Counselor of the Pakistan High Commission Kamran Dangal.

The event was held with permission from Dhaka Metropolitan Police, and a three-tier security system was put in place to manage the large crowd.

Addressing the rally, Nahid Islam declared that the party's mission is to establish a "Second Republic," ensuring democratic rights and economic equality for all citizens.

"Now is the time to dream of a new future and work together to build the Bangladesh we desire. We must move forward with unwavering determination in our fight to establish the second republic," he said.

The party chief emphasized that the politics of divisions must end, stating, "Bangladesh can never be divided again. Pro-India, pro-Pakistan politics will not continue here. We want a nation that belongs to its people, not to foreign interests."

Samanta Sharmin and Ariful Islam Adib, both leaders of JANAC, were named senior joint conveners. Akhtar Hossain, a former DU student activist, was made member-secretary.

Other key positions include senior joint member-secretaries Dr Tasnim Jara and Nahida Sarwar Niba, Chief Organiser of the Southern Region Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser of the Northern Region Sarjis Alam, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud, and Office Secretary Saleh Uddin Sifat.

Most of the top NCP leaders have been politically active since the 2018 quota-reform movement.

Many of them were members of the Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad and later formed new student groups following internal disagreements.

Nahid Islam, the NCP convener, first gained prominence as an activist during the 2018 quota protests. In 2019, he contested the DUCSU elections but later moved away from mainstream student politics.

His role became crucial when he announced the one-point demand during the July uprising last year, calling for the fall of the Awami League government. Following his arrest and abduction, he became a national symbol of resistance.

Similarly, Akhtar Hossain, the NCP Member-Secretary, was deeply involved with the quota-reform movement and later won a position in the 2019 DUCSU elections.

His activism continued as he was detained multiple times during last year's protests.

According to NCP leaders, the party's immediate objective is to establish a truly democratic state where the rights of all citizens-regardless of ethnicity, religion, or social status-are ensured.

The NCP has also outlined long-term plans, and its central committee is expected to expand to 151-201 members soon.

Political leaders who attended the event expressed hope that the NCP would play a vital role in advancing the country's democratic environment.

In the proclamation made by the NCP convener Nahid said the National Citizens Party would work for building a second republic in Bangladesh by removing all constitutional provisions that allow dictatorial rule.

Last year's mass uprising against Awami League's autocratic rule launched the fight for building a second republic, and to this end, the NCP, upon being elected, will form a constituent assembly for writing a new constitution. The process will ensure the establishment of a truly democratic country based on "equality" and "human dignity", Nahid said.

"In the second republic, a strong military would be built for defending national interests. All the political, social, economic and cultural organisations would be rebuilt to ensure their democratic status," Nahid continued.

The proclamation starts with reference to the thousand-year-old history of Bangladesh. In the course of history, a unique and rich culture has developed in the Bengal delta.

However, in modern times, the people of the land have suffered repeated setbacks in meeting their rights. The British ruled for nearly 200 years, and then the independent Pakistan state failed free the country from repression and discrimination, leading to the birth of another new country in 1971. During the 1971 Liberation War, people shed their blood but still the people had to repeatedly fight for their democratic rights.

Over five decades since becoming independent, a political system is still absent for ensuring democracy, equality, human dignity and social justice.

"The uprising in July-August last year ended a 15-year autocratic regime, but the movement did not aim for simply replacing one government with another. Rather, over a thousand embraced martyrdom to erase all the fascist elements that have got entrenched in the state apparatus. NCP has been formed with this very goal: to realise people's aspirations for rebuilding the country," the proclamation reads.

The NCP promotes "a new political culture where unity will replace divisions at all levels of society, justice will replace vengeance, merit and qualifications will replace family-centric politics, and there will be no place for corruption or nepotism".

In society, the marginalised will be brought into the mainstream, and all the citizens will get the same priority. Every citizen will be protected against corruption, discrimination and power abuse, while their democratic and basic rights will be strongly defended.

A diverse and prosperous society will be built through the preservation of all kinds of values, be it historic, social, religious or cultural.

A self-reliant and equitable economy will be developed where wealth will not concentrate into the hands of a select few rather adequately distribute among all the people. Interests of consumers and masses will be protected through effective checks on the market syndicates and vested interests of the private sector.

Regional cooperation and international partnerships will be ensured for developing a powerful state in South Asia. Last but not the least, innovation and scientific research will be prioritised for developing a sustainable and modern economy.

The NCP leaders strongly believe the July-August uprising not only paved the way for winning against a fascist regime but also for taking an oath for rebuilding the future, as stated in the party proclamation.

In the proclamation's concluding remarks, the party calls on everyone in the country to join hands to resolutely march forward for together building a new country where the goal of politics will be to only echo the voices of every citizen, and establish fairness as well as people's rights.

bdsmile@gmail.com