United News of Bangladesh

A four-member delegation of the National Citizen Party (NCP) is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday afternoon. In a media release, the NCP said the meeting will take place at 5:00pm at the State Guest House Jamuna. The delegation, led by NCP Convener Nahid Islam, will include Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, chairman of the party’s Election Steering Committee, Secretary Monira Sharmin, and Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa, head of the committee’s legal support subcommittee. According to the party, discussions during the meeting will focus on what it described as the Election Commission’s partisan conduct and the overall current election situation. Earlier on Sunday night, Asif Mahmud told an emergency press conference that the NCP would reconsider whether to participate in the upcoming parliamentary election due to the Election Commission’s alleged biased behaviour. NCP reconsiders election participation over ‘one-sided’ EC decisions: Asif Mahmud On the same day, the Election Commission issued show-cause notices to Nahid Islam and Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari over alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct. The NCP, however, claimed that Nahid and Nasir were campaigning for the referendum and that such activities do not constitute a breach of election rules.

National Citizen Party (NCP) reconsiders whether it should participate in the upcoming national election, citing what it described as one-sided decisions by the Election Commission (EC), party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said on Sunday (January 18, 2026). Speaking at an emergency press conference at the party’s makeshift office at Banglamotor on the final day of appeal hearings, Asif said the prevailing situation has prompted the party to reassess its electoral stance. “Given the current circumstances, we believe the time has come to reconsider whether we should take part in this national election. We will review the matter of participating or not participating in the election," he said.  Asif, who is also the chairman of NCP’s central election management committee, said no final decision has been taken yet. NCP accuses EC officials of bias ahead of election The issue will be discussed at the party’s political council and also within its 10-party alliance, after which the party will announce its position, Asif said.  He alleged that the Election Commission has lost public confidence, saying it failed to gain the trust of political parties and voters required to conduct a credible election. “If the electoral process continues in this manner, we fear the EC will not be able to deliver a free and fair election in Bangladesh.” Asif criticised the EC for what he termed unilateral decisions allowing candidates with dual citizenship and loan defaulters to contest the polls, claiming such moves undermine electoral integrity. He also alleged that incidents outside the EC on the final day of appeal hearings were orchestrated, accusing the student wing of a major political party of creating a 'mob' situation. “On the last day of appeals, there is a mob outside, while their secretary general is meeting the commission inside. These are all staged dramas.” Asif said NCP will continue its legal battle and consult its alliance partners before announcing further programmes. Meanwhile, despite expressing uncertainty over participation in the election, NCP on the same day announced the formation of a political liaison sub-committee to accelerate the work of its central election management committee ahead of the national election. Read more: EC revokes candidacy of BNP’s Munshi, upholds NCP’s Hasnat in Cumilla-4 The ten-member committee has been formed with Akram Hossain as its head and Faisal Mahmud as secretary, tasked with strengthening coordination and boosting the party’s election-related activities.

National Citizen Party (NCP) on Tuesday warned that democracy is at risk, accusing senior government officials, including intelligence chiefs, of openly favoring a party ahead of the national election. “We’ve seen various government officials and chiefs of different intelligence agencies seemingly fix their focus on a single party office and visit it regularly. We believe this is a serious threat to democracy in Bangladesh,” said NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan. He made this remark after leading a four-member NCP delegation in a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin at the latter’s office in the city’s Nirbachan Bhaban in the afternoon. “We have, with great concern, observed that over the past few days, after the chairperson of a particular party returned to the country—whom we welcomed both personally and on behalf of our party—what followed is a bad sign for Bangladesh’s democracy,” said Asif Mahmud, also the chief of the NCP election steering committee. He alleged that practices reminiscent of what he termed “illegal conduct during the period of Awami fascism” are resurfacing. “We always saw in Bangladesh (in the past) that the administration has a tendency to be biased towards those who are in power, but we will never accept such audacity before the people give their mandate and someone comes to power,” he said. The NCP leader urged both the government and the Election Commission to take swift action against such officials who, he said, have clearly violated government service rules as such conduct has dampened public enthusiasm for exercising voting rights in the upcoming elections. “We call on the government to take immediate punitive action against those involved and to assure the people that their voting rights still remain intact....You must restore this confidence (among the people),” he said.

Alleging that National Citizen Party (NCP) has completely abandoned its centrist political stance and moved into right-wing politics by aligning with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties, another senior female leader resigned from the party on Saturday. Syeda Nilima Dola, a central member of the NCP, submitted her resignation letter to party Convener Nahid Islam, saying that the party no longer holds any scope for pursuing a new path of centrist politics. In her resignation letter, Dola said she had remained with the NCP after the July uprising with the expectation that the party would work towards state reform, but “it has ultimately turned into a patron of right-wing forces.” Bringing allegations of deception against the party, she said, “The election-oriented alliance between NCP and Jamaat is not a strategic one. If it were strategic, so many leaders and activists would not have resigned. This alliance was formed by misleading grassroots leaders and workers. Under the pretext of nominations, the NCP has committed blatant betrayal.” Referring to what she described as another ‘game plan’, Dola said those who are resigning are being framed as leftists, which, according to her, makes it easier for the NCP to ‘sell the party’ to Jamaat. Questioning the party’s ideological position, she wrote to Nahid Islam, “If those who are leaving are leftists, does that make you right-wing? Were you not supposed to be a centrist party?” Dola also said the public trust and confidence that people once had in the NCP have been ‘shattered’, adding that the party has failed to live up to public expectations. She warned that the NCP would face the people’s response in the difficult days ahead. Calling the alliance with Jamaat incompatible with the party’s origins, Dola said, “The NCP emerged standing on the blood of the July martyrs. The martyrs did not sacrifice their lives to play politics by foregrounding religious ideology. There was no religious revolution or uprising in Bangladesh in July 2024.” She also alleged that the NCP is moving towards establishing the narrative of the former ruling Awami League, saying, “By wrapping the uprising in a religious cloak, you are paving the way for the Awami narrative. For this, ‘lal salam’ to you.” With Dola’s resignation, the number of leaders and activists who have quit the NCP has crossed ten. Since the resignation of senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara over the party’s alliance with Jamaat, a series of central leaders have stepped down. The NCP, however, has said it is not concerned about individuals leaving or joining the party, describing the development as a normal political process.

The district returning officer on Saturday declared valid the nomination papers of four candidates of National Citizen Party (NCP), a partner of the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 10-party alliance, in four Dhaka constituencies. Dhaka's Deputy Commissioner and District Returning Officer Md Rezaul Karim approved the nominations after scrutiny at the divisional commissioner’s office in Segunbagicha. According to an NCP media release, the nominations of Nahid Islam for Dhaka-11, Nasiruddin Patwary for Dhaka-8, Javed Rasin for Dhaka-9 and Ariful Islam Adeeb for Dhaka-18 were found compliant with all requirements. In Dhaka-11, comprising Rampura, Badda and Vatara, NCP candidate Nahid Islam will face BNP nominee MA Quayum, whose nomination was also validated on the same day. Jamaat-e-Islami’s Atiqur Rahman withdrew from the race following the formation of the alliance. In the high-profile Dhaka-8 constituency, covering Motijheel, Shahbagh, Ramna, Paltan and Shahjahanpur, Jamaat nominee Advocate Helal Uddin stepped aside in support of NCP’s Nasiruddin. BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas is contesting from the seat, alongside another notable contender, Meghna Alam of Gono Odhikar Parishad. Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho, had earlier emerged as a prospective independent candidate in Dhaka-8 but was critically injured in a shooting in Bijoynagar on December 12 and later died on December 18. While Inqilab Moncho did not nominate a replacement, Nasiruddin said he was inspired by Hadi’s political stance. In Dhaka-9, comprising Sabujbagh, Khilgaon, Bashabo and Mugdha, Javed secured nomination validity for NCP. Tasnim Zara, initially nominated by NCP, resigned from the party over differences following the alliance with Jamaat. Her nomination was declared invalid, though an appeal is expected. Tasnim Jara’s Dhaka-9 nomination scrapped, plans to appeal BNP Central Executive Committee member Habibur Rashid Habib is contesting the election for the seat. For Dhaka-18, covering Uttara, Turag and parts of Dhaka Cantonment, Ariful received nomination clearance after Nasiruddin shifted to Dhaka-8 post-alliance. BNP’s candidate is SM Jahangir Hossain. As per the Election Commission schedule, December 29 was the last date for submitting nomination papers, while scrutiny is set to conclude by January 4. Appeals can be filed with the Election Commission between January 5 and 9. The 13th national parliamentary election and referendum are scheduled for February 12.

Khan Muhammad Mursalin, joint chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party (NCP), resigned from the party on Thursday, citing ideological differences and disillusionment over its political direction. Mursalin announced the decision in a Facebook post in the afternoon, saying he had stepped down from all posts and responsibilities of the NCP with immediate effect. “I am Khan Muhammad Mursalin. After serving as the central joint chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party, I have decided to resign from all positions and responsibilities of the NCP from today,” he wrote. He, however, made it clear that he is not quitting politics. “I am resigning from the NCP, not from politics. We will meet again on the streets”. In a subsequent video message, Mursalin said he joined the NCP after the 2024 mass uprising as the party spoke of the need for a new political order, a new constitution and a break from the colonial legacy—aspirations he felt aligned with his own struggle. “I considered them my fellow travellers and comrades. That hope and aspiration led me to join the NCP,” he said, alleging that the party later failed to empower the core forces of the uprising, particularly working class people who, according to him, made the greatest sacrifices. “The workers who gave the most lives in the uprising could not be brought to the centre of power, nor could they be built up as a political constituency,” Mursalin claimed. He further alleged that women—mothers and sisters who marched with the bodies of their brothers—have since become the most marginalised and were deliberately pushed out of the spotlight. Mursalin said the NCP has failed to fulfil the aspirations of students and the masses that emerged from the uprising. “The current path of the NCP and the path of our mass political movement have now diverged in two different directions.” Following the NCP’s decision to join an alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded parties, around 10 leaders and activists have reportedly resigned from the party so far due to ideological disagreements. Among them are central leaders Tasnim Jara and Tajnuva Jabeen. Mahfuj Alam rules out joining NCP over Jamaat alliance Several others, though not resigning, have withdrawn from electoral politics. Monira Sharmin has announced she will not contest the election, while NCP leader Nusrat Tabassum said she will remain inactive during the election period. Meanwhile, the NCP leadership has said the alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami was formed to ensure broader unity ahead of the 13th national election and a proposed referendum. Party leaders said the move is an electoral arrangement, not an ideological compromise.

Former Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan on Monday joined the National Citizen Party (NCP), with the party announcing his appointment as its spokesperson and head of the election steering committee. NCP Convener Nahid Islam made the announcement at an emergency press briefing held at the party’s temporary office in the city's Banglamotor in the evening. “Asif is our long-time associate. Through discussions at the party forum, we have decided to appoint him as the party spokesperson. He will also serve as the chief of NCP’s election management committee,” Nahid said. He said although NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary had been overseeing the election management committee so far, the responsibility has now been handed over to Asif as Patwary is contesting the upcoming election. “The committee will be reorganised under Asif’s leadership,” Nahid said. Reacting to his joining the party, Asif said he would not contest the election this time. “Rather than going to Parliament alone, I believe my journey will be meaningful if I can help send my comrades to Parliament to fulfil the aspirations of the July uprising. That is why I joined NCP,” he said. Mahfuj Alam rules out joining NCP over Jamaat alliance Asif also said he would work on the frontlines of NCP’s election campaign and urged voters to cast a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum. “If you vote ‘Yes’, Bangladesh will move 100 years ahead and the aspirations of July will be fulfilled,” he said. Earlier, on December 10, Asif resigned from his post as adviser. He had previously announced plans to contest the election from the Dhaka-10 constituency. Although there had been speculation about his possible joining of Gono Adhikar Parishad, he ultimately chose to join NCP.  

National Citizen Party (NCP) joined an alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and other like-minded parties, citing the need for a broader unity to protect the generation that actively participated in the July uprising, NCP Convener Nahid Islam said on Sunday (December 28, 2025). Nahid made the announcement at an urgent press conference held at NCP’s temporary office in the city's Banglamotor in the evening. “We initially intended to contest the election independently and had prepared to field candidates in all 300 constituencies. However, incidents such as the killing of Osman Hadi, spokesperson of the Inqilab Moncho, prompted us to reconsider and take a new decision,” Nahid said. Referring to ongoing conspiracies to disrupt the February elections, he said the main aim of the defeated forces is to destroy the July generation. “To preserve the dreams of the July generation, NCP has joined hands with Jamaat”. Read more: Mahfuj Alam rules out joining NCP over Jamaat alliance Nahid emphasised that the alliance seeks broader unity to reform the country, ensure justice for the July mass killings, and curb hegemony and corruption. “From that perspective, we have joined this alliance to ensure a competitive election.” The decision to ally with Jamaat has sparked mixed reactions within NCP. Central leaders such as Tasnim Jara and Tajnuva Jabeen resigned, while leaders including Samantha Sharmin and Monira Sharmin openly opposed the move. “We have taken the decision based on the majority opinion. The party will continue to operate according to its rules,” Nahid said. When asked how NCP’s ideology aligns with Jamaat, he replied, “For now, the alliance is purely for electoral purposes. Post-election, we will decide whether to move forward together. The primary focus of the current alliance is the 13th national election and referendum.” Regarding seat-sharing, Nahid said, “No final decision has been made yet. We will announce the details at a press conference on Monday.” Earlier in the day, Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman, at an urgent press briefing with like-minded parties, announced NCP’s formal entry into the alliance. Besides NCP, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has also joined the coalition. After the July uprising, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolon, Bangladesh Nezame Islam Party and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JaGaPa) began discussions to field single candidates in all constituencies through seat-sharing arrangements. Read more: ‘I won’t resign, though NCP deviated from founding goal’: Samantha The Bangladesh Development Party later joined the process, forming an eight-party alliance that carried out prolonged joint movements on various demands. With the fresh inclusion of NCP and LDP in the electoral understanding, the number of parties in the Jamaat-led alliance has now risen to ten.

National Citizen Party (NCP) has deviated from its original political objective by joining an alliance led by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, but there is no justification for her to resign from the party, said NCP Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin on Sunday evening. In a Facebook post, Samantha said she learned from Jamaat’s press conference that the NCP had formally joined the Jamaat-led alliance of like-minded parties. Samantha said such a move was not supposed to happen, citing the statement made by alliance spokesperson and NCP Convener Nahid Islam on the day the Democratic Reform Alliance — comprising three parties — was launched. Referring to the alliance formed on December 7 with NCP, Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) and Bangladesh Rashtro Songskar Andolan, Samantha said the Rashtro Songskar Andolan has already accused the NCP of breaching the agreement. “Such a position undermines the initiative to build a third political force and damages the NCP’s mainstream political course. The Rashtro Songskar Andolan has alleged that NCP violated the agreement. The party even moved towards seat-sharing without formally informing the alliance,” she writes. Stating that the NCP has strayed from its core objective, Samantha alleged that “some individuals within the party deviated from its founding aspiration in exchange for a few parliamentary seats at 5:30pm on December 28, 2025.” Despite her strong criticism, Samantha said, she would not resign from the party. “I see no justification for resigning, as I formally subscribe to all the official narratives of the NCP. Even if some individuals have deviated, as a party NCP remained in the right position,” she wrote. Earlier in the afternoon, Jamaat Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman announced that the NCP and Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had officially joined the Jamaat-led alliance of eight like-minded parties. He, however, said no final decision has yet been taken regarding seat-sharing. No NCP representative was present at the Jamaat alliance’s press conference. Later, NCP’s media cell said the party would hold a press conference later at night to formally announce its decision to join the Jamaat-led alliance.

Thirty leaders of the National Citizens Party (NCP) have written to party convener Nahid Islam, urging him not to form any political alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, citing the party’s controversial historical role and recent divisive activities. The memorandum, delivered on Saturday, expressed strong objection to possible seat-sharing or coalition talks with the Islamist party, NCP Joint Secretary Mushfiq Us Saleheen confirmed the development. The leaders highlighted Jamaat’s stance during the 1971 Liberation War, including opposition to independence, alleged collaboration in genocide, and other past crimes, which they said fundamentally conflict with Bangladesh’s democratic values and the NCP’s principles. They also raised concerns over Jamaat’s recent activities, including interference in other parties, spreading misinformation, targeting female members of NCP and its student wing, and promoting religious intolerance, describing these as threats to democratic norms and social cohesion. The memorandum emphasized that as a party emerging from a democratic and popular uprising, NCP has a responsibility to uphold human rights, religious tolerance, gender equality, minority protection, civic freedoms, and democratic principles. The leaders warned that aligning with Jamaat could weaken this ethical stance and damage the party’s credibility among supporters, particularly youth and reform-minded citizens. The NCP leaders also recalled Nahid Islam and chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari’s prior announcements to contest elections independently, including the formation of the ‘Democratic Reform Alliance,’ reflecting the party’s commitment to principled politics. They argued that joining Jamaat for a few seats would betray this commitment, create confusion among supporters, and erode trust. The letter urged the party leadership to prioritize ethical considerations over tactical gains in forming coalitions and to take a clear stance against collaborating with Jamaat. The leaders stressed that principled differences should be respected within the party to maintain internal discipline and strengthen unity. The memorandum was signed by 30 central and regional NCP leaders, including Joint Secretary Mushfiq Us Salehin, along with central and regional leaders, including: central organizer Arman Hossain; Joint Convenor Arpita Shyama Dev; South Zone Organizer Md. Shawkat Ali; Joint Chief Coordinator Nahid Nawroz Shah; Joint Secretary S.M. Saif Mostafiz; Joint Secretary Faridul Haq; Joint Chief Organizer Imon Syed; South Zone Organizer Md. Wahid Uz Zaman; Joint Chief Organizer Sadiya Farzana Dina; Joint Convenor Nusrat Tabassum; Joint Secretary Md. Farhad Alam Bhuiya; Central Member Jawadul Karim; Joint Chief Coordinator Khan Md. Mursalin; Central Member Tarik Adnan Mun; Central Member Md. Imran Hossain; Joint Chief Coordinator Md. Saddam Hossain; Central Member Towhid Tanzim; Central Member Mahbub E Khoda; South Zone Organizer Nafiul Islam; North Zone Organizer Dyuti Aranya Chowdhury; South Zone Organizer Hamza Ibn Mahbub; Central Member Syeda Nilima Dola; South Zone Organizer Noyon Ahmed; Central Member Salauddin Jamil Sourav; Joint Convenor Khaled Saifullah; South Zone Organizer Asad Bin Rony; Joint Chief Coordinator Abdullah Al Faisal; Central Member Khalid Saifullah Jewel; and Organizer Rafiqul Islam Aini.