Following Tasnim Jara’s resignation, her husband Khaled Saifullah has also stepped down from the National Citizen Party (NCP). He had been serving as the party’s joint convener as well as head of its policy and research wing.
In a letter addressed to NCP Convener Nahid Islam on Wednesday, Khaled Saifullah wrote, “I hereby resign from all posts and responsibilities of the NCP.” He did not provide further explanation. A copy of the letter was also sent to NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen.
On Sunday afternoon, NCP formally announced an electoral seat-sharing arrangement with Jamaat-e-Islami. A day earlier, Tasnim Jara resigned from the party after the talks were finalised. She had been serving as senior joint member secretary of NCP and was also the party’s nominated candidate for the Dhaka-9 constituency.
After leaving the party, Tasnim Jara announced her candidacy in Dhaka-9 as an independent. A former student of Dhaka Medical College and the University of Cambridge, she was accompanied by Khaled Saifullah during the process of collecting signatures and submitting nomination papers.
Khaled Saifullah studied law at the University of Dhaka before completing his postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
At least eight NCP leaders, including Tasnim Jara and Khaled Saifullah, have so far resigned from the party over its electoral arrangement with Jamaat-e-Islami.
In addition, at least five female leaders have expressed opposition to the move, two of whom have withdrawn from the election despite being nominated candidates of the party.