NCP demands punishment for officials responsible for failing to provide security

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has demanded that the officials responsible for failing to provide security to the party’s member secretary Akhter Hossain and others be identified and face punishment.

The demand was made in protest of the harassment of Akhter Hossain and the egg-throwing incident at the New York airport.

NCP convener Nahid Islam raised the demand at an emergency press conference at the NCP central office in Bangla Motor, Dhaka on Tuesday afternoon.

Professor Muhammad Yunus, the chief advisor, travelled to the United States to attend the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On Monday afternoon local time, he and his delegation landed at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York.

Among the delegation were NCP member secretary Akhter Hossain, Joint Convener Tasnim Jara, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and several others.

While exiting the airport, they encountered a group of Awami League leaders and activists. During this time, the Awami League leaders and activists shouted various slogans and made derogatory remarks directed at Akhter Hossain and Tasnim Jara. At one point, an egg was thrown at Akhter Hossain during the harassment.

The NCP leaders held an emergency press conference in the afternoon regarding this incident that took place around 3:00 am Bangladesh time on Monday. At the press conference, NCP convener Nahid Islam said that the Awami League has systematically targeted leaders of the July uprising both at home and abroad. The assassination attempt during the July march in Gopalganj, the attack on adviser Mahfuz Alam abroad, and the recent incident at the New York airport are not isolated events. These are part of the continuous fascist activities of the Awami League.

Accusing the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of failing to provide security to political leaders, Nahid Islam said, “These attacks occur with the support of certain elements within the administration. We have seen that in regular courts outside the tribunal, bail is granted. Many of the accused roam freely after getting bail and threaten the families of martyrs and the injured. What happens on a small and large scale domestically is now also occurring abroad. It is the government’s responsibility to address this situation. To do so, those allies of fascism still remaining at all levels of government must be removed and brought to justice.”

The press conference also included demands such as the resignation of the New York Consul General. These demands are: all attackers of Akhter Hossain in the United States must be identified and immediately arrested; the New York Consul General must resign immediately; a full investigation must be conducted and disciplinary action taken against officials who failed to provide security; allies of the Awami League appointed during the fascist era must be removed from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the names of the five people arrested for the attack on adviser Mahfuz Alam must be published; and the trial of the July genocide must be transparent and expedited. The party also vowed to ensure justice against the Awami League as a terrorist organization.

Noting that the Awami League has not yet faced trial at the International Crimes Tribunal as a party, Nahid Islam said, “We will appeal to the tribunal and ensure that the government takes initiative. The Awami League’s crimes, including the July uprising and other crimes against humanity over the past 15 years, must be investigated and brought to justice.”

When asked why no members of NCP’s ‘Diaspora Committee’ were present at the New York airport despite the Awami League leaders’ presence, Nahid Islam said, “Many of our members associated with the expatriate committee were there, but they were misguided. They were told they would exit through another gate. Our supporters were instructed to stay at a different location, but later it was discovered that the exit route had been changed, which our supporters did not know. This was done by those involved in protocol and security. That is why we have demanded an investigation and disciplinary action against those who failed to provide security, and the immediate resignation of the Consul General, as this completely reflects his failure.”

Replying to a query regarding a statement given by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir to a foreign media outlet, Nahid Islam said, “I do not want to comment on the statement. I only want to say that if BNP now accepts the politics of rehabilitating the Awami League, that politics will prove fatal for BNP. Therefore, we consider BNP as a partner in the July uprising and in our anti-fascist struggle. We appeal to BNP to avoid mistaken politics. To reconstruct Bangladesh, in terms of reform, justice, and rebuilding the country, it is impossible to engage in politics while compromising with the Awami League and foreign powers that supported it.”

Responding to Mirza Fakhrul’s statement that NCP is no longer a political force, Nahid Islam said, “Whether the National Citizens’ Party is a political force or not will actually be decided by the people on the streets and in the voting arena. We see that we are facing attacks on all sides to prevent NCP from emerging as a new force. This has been happening for the past year. Those who do not want Bangladesh to be rebuilt and want to retain the old power structure—this is not only the Awami League but also other forces outside it—they do not want the rise of a youth force. They do not want the rise of the National Citizens’ Party.”

Nahid Islam further said, “Those who have fought against fascism and faced oppression over the past 15 years have our sympathy and solidarity, but their leadership has not led a mass uprising. Despite repeated appeals, the public has not come out onto the streets. Therefore, we will see in the voting field and on the streets whose call the people will follow and whom they will support. Hence, we appeal to BNP to move away from Awami League rehabilitation politics and join the politics of rebuilding Bangladesh. Then they will gain the support of the youth.”

Mentioning that there is no scope to bring the Awami League in elections, Nahid Islam said, “We see that while the Awami League is carrying out terrorist activities, some politicians are conspiring to bring the Awami League back into elections. We want to state clearly that there is no scope for bringing the Awami League into elections or rehabilitating it politically. Those who attempt this will face the people’s opposition, and their politics will disappear from Bangladesh.”

Calling for strengthening anti-fascist unity, the NCP convener said, “On 36 July, during the July uprising, the students of Bangladesh expressed their verdict against the Awami League. That verdict was that the Awami League and the Mujibists should have no political presence in Bangladesh. They must be brought to justice for their wrongdoings. Therefore, I call upon all anti-fascist political parties to unite on the Awami League and Mujib question. Through justice, we should decide their political fate. Simultaneously, we must collectively resist any conspiracy by the Awami League to rehabilitate themselves or destabilize the country.”

To protest the attack on Akhter Hossain, NCP announced a demonstration march at Shahbagh in Dhaka Monday afternoon, organised by the Dhaka city north and south units. The party also decided to carry out protest programs in all districts and metropolitan areas across the country.

NCP Senior Joint Secretary Nahida Sarwer Niva, Joint Convener Tajnuva Jabeen, Joint Secretary (attached to office) Saleh Uddin Sifat, and Joint Secretary Abdullah Al-Amin, among others, were present.