Tasnim Jara will contest as an independent candidate, not from the NCP
Amid ongoing discussions with Jamaat-e-Islami over seat-sharing, Tasnim Jara, senior joint secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has announced that she will run as an independent candidate.
The NCP had nominated her for the Dhaka-9 constituency in the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections. However, on Saturday, she declared that she will contest Dhaka-9 not on behalf of any party, but as an independent candidate.
Tasnim Jara shared this announcement in a post on her verified Facebook page at around 7:00 pm today. She did not comment on matters related to the NCP in the post. However, NCP sources have confirmed that she has already submitted her resignation to the party’s top leadership.
Dr. Tasnim Jara joined the NCP from its inception in February this year. The party was founded by young leaders from the movement. After taking on responsibilities within the party, Tasnim Jara was actively involved in various programmes and initiatives.
For the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections scheduled for 12 February, the NCP has already announced party candidates in 122 constituencies under the Shapla Kali symbol. Tasnim Jara was nominated for the Dhaka-9 constituency (Khilgaon, Sabujbagh, Mugda). Following recent reports of NCP negotiating a seat-sharing arrangement with Jamaat-e-Islami, discontent and protests arose among many of the movement’s members. Thirty party leaders even sent a letter to the NCP convener, Nahid Islam, expressing their objections.
Amid this, Tasnim Jara announced her independent candidacy on Facebook, writing:
“It was my dream to serve the people of my constituency and the country through the platform of a political party. However, due to the current circumstances, I have decided not to contest the election as a candidate of any particular party or alliance. I had promised you and the people of the country that I would fight for you and for the creation of a new political culture. Whatever the situation may be, I am determined to keep that promise. Therefore, I will contest the Dhaka-9 seat as an independent candidate in this election.”
Tasnim Jara did not mention the NCP in explaining the reason for her decision. She wrote:
“If I were a candidate of a party, I would have access to the party’s local office, a well-organised team of workers, and opportunities to raise concerns or issues regarding security and other matters with the government and administration. However, since I am not affiliated with any party, I have none of these resources. My only support is you. If, as your daughter, you offer me your affection and support based on my honesty, dedication, and unwavering determination to practice a new kind of politics, only then will I have the opportunity to serve you.”
There was no immediate response from the NCP regarding Tasnim Jara’s decision. However, Nasiruddin Patwary, the party’s chief coordinator and head of the election management committee, liked her post.
At the end of her post, Tasnim Jara mentioned “two special points” regarding her candidacy. The first point she noted was:
“To contest the election as an independent candidate, I need signatures from 4,693 voters of the Dhaka-9 constituency on a specific form, as required by law. Tomorrow (Sunday), I will begin collecting these signatures.”
Highlighting that gathering signatures from so many people in a single day is nearly impossible, Tasnim Jara requested voluntary assistance from the voters of her constituency. She also invited those willing to help by providing space or volunteering to join her Facebook group.
Tasnim Jara completed her MBBS from Dhaka Medical College and earned a postgraduate degree from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. She also worked as a junior doctor in the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tasnim Jara became known in Bangladesh by creating health-related videos on her Facebook page that debunked false information and rumours. Her videos were also broadcast on the BBC Ten-Minute School programme.