United News of Bangladesh

Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) on Friday demanded the visible trial proceedings of the July killings and implementation of the July reform charter before holding the national election. “But before going to any election, we have been saying over and over again – we want to see the visible trial proceedings of killings and implementation of the July Charter of reforms. Then we will have to move towards the election,” said NCP Convener Nahid Islam at a press conference in the city. Fight for ‘constituent assembly’ election to establish ‘second republic’: Nahid Replying to a question, he said it does not seem to him that it is impossible to hold the national election in December. It will depend mainly on political will and political consensus to hold the constituent assembly election and the national election together, he added. “If we can reach that consensus, then it is actually possible to hold the constituent assembly and national parliament elections together within the desired timeframe,” said Nahid. The press conference was arranged following the first general meeting of the NCP central committee at Rupayan Tower in the city’s Bangla Motor area. About his interview with Reuters, Nahid there were some misquotations and wrong translations.  “About the current situation, I didn't say it exactly like that it is not possible to hold an election this year. I said it would be much more difficult to hold an election in the current deteriorated law and order situation,” he said. He claimed that he told Reuters that the current police administration has no experience in conducting fair elections as their capabilities have not been tested for a long time. And so, the law-and-order situation must be improved before the elections. NCP leaders vow to rebuild Bangladesh with July spirit “NCP has the mentality and preparation for the election,” said Nahid Islam. The NCP chief also noted that he told the Reuters that the well-off people and well-wishers from the society are providing financial support to them. “We are moving towards crowdfunding with both online and offline focuses. We will raise election and office establishment funds through crowdfunding. But it has been translated incorrectly in various media outlets in the country,” he said, requesting the media outlets to correct those. Women’s Safety Expressing grave concerns over the recent violence against women in different parts of the country, Nahid urged the interim government to take a strict stance to ensure women's safety in public spaces and bring the perpetrators to justice soon. He said they strongly condemn and protest against all the incidents of violence taking place against women. “We strongly condemn and protest against all those incidents. And on behalf of the NCP, we express concern over this existing situation,” he said. Earlier, NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen said the NCP will arrange an iftar mahfil at the historic Suhrawardy Udyan in the city on March 10 for the martyrs’ families and injured persons during the 2024 July-August movement. Nahid discloses bank account details post-resignation  The new party will also host an iftar party for leaders of the political parties, civil society members, businessmen and noted personalities on March 11 next. NCP central leaders, including its chief organiser for the southern region Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser for the northern region Sarjis Alam and chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, were present. On Friday last, NCP was officially launched as a new political platform floated by student activists of the July Movement.

Convener of Jatiya Nagorik Party Nahid Islam on Friday said one of their new political party’s primary goals is to formulate a new constitution through a ‘constituent assembly’ election to establish the ‘second republic’ in Bangladesh. “We must eliminate all possibilities of reestablishing constitutional dictatorship by formulating a new democratic constitution. One of our primary goals is to formulate a new constitution through the election of a constituent assembly to establish our second republic,” he said at the launch event of the new party. Nahid was addressing the event, immediately after the announcement of a partial central committee of the new party at Manik Miah Avenue in the capital on Friday evening. He said Jatiya Nagorik Party will be a democratic, egalitarian and people-representing political party. “We believe that the July 2024 student-people uprising has initiated the struggle to establish our second republic,"  he  said. Nahid said Bangladesh can never be divided anymore. “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,” Nahid added. He said students and people ousted a fascist government that had been in power for a decade and a half by making an immense sacrifice during an unprecedented mass uprising in July 2024. Jatiya Nagorik Party led by Nahid Islam launched “But we must remember - this new freedom, achieved through the sacrifices of thousands of martyrs, did not happen simply to overthrow one government and bring another one in power,” he said. He said people responded to this uprising with a new political aspiration to abolish the fascist system rooted in every sector of the state and establish a state based on the rights and dignity of the people. “With that goal in mind, we are announcing the formation of Jatiya Nagorik Party-NCP,” said Nahid. In the second republic, a strong defense system will be built to protect national interests. Their political priority will be to rebuild the collapsed political, social, economic and cultural institutions, and ensure their democratic character. Only through this, a fully democratic state can emerge, he said. “We want to develop a political culture where unity instead of division, justice in place of revenge, and merit and competence in lieu of dynasticism at all levels of the society and the state. There will be no place for corruption and nepotism in our politics,” he said. In the second republic, the voices of socially disadvantaged groups will be brought into the mainstream and every citizen of the state will be given equal importance and maximum security, said Nahid. He expressed determination to establish a society based on justice and equality. “We firmly believe that the July 2024 mass uprising is not only a victory against a fascist regime, it is also a pledge to build our future,” he added. BNP delegation joins Jatiya Nagorik Party’s launch event “Let us join hands and build a Bangladesh where the voice of every citizen will be heard, the establishment of justice and the struggle for human rights will be the main goals of politics, equality and human dignity will be the foundation of the state. Now this is time to see a new dream, start a new journey and build a new Bangladesh,” he said. He said the dream to establish the second republic is not an elusive dream, rather it should be a promise for future Bangladesh. Nahid chanted slogans 'Inquilab-Zindabad,’ Khomata na Janata,’ ‘Aposh na Songram’ and ‘Dalali na Rajpath’ to conclude his speech.