NCP, 2 other parties to announce new alliance in afternoon
A new electoral alliance comprising the National Citizen Party (NCP), Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) and Bangladesh Rashtra Sanskar Andolan (state reform movement) is set to be announced this afternoon (Sunday), following two weeks of discussions.
However, the Gonodhikar Parishad will not be part of the coalition.
The three-party alliance will be formally announced at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital around 4:00 pm today.
The participating parties describe the coalition as a “political and electoral unity of those committed to upholding the pledges of the July mass uprising and establishing a new political settlement”.
Around 12:00 pm, NCP’s media cell secretary Mushfiq-us-Salehin told journalists that a press conference would be held today to announce the “political and electoral unity of those interested in upholding the pledges of the July uprising and building a new political arrangement”.
Leaders from the NCP, the Rashtra Sanskar Andolan and the AB Party will be present at the briefing.
A source within the AB Party also confirmed the press conference and the formation of the alliance to Prothom Alo. The source added that leaders from the NCP, the AB Party, the Rashtra Sanskar Andolan and several other political parties would attend.
Last month, discussions surfaced about forming a four-party electoral alliance consisting of the NCP, AB Party, the Rashtra Sanskar Andolan and the Gono Odhikar Parishad outside the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
The alliance was initially set to be launched on 27 November at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed Convention Centre in Shahbagh, Dhaka.
On the night before the scheduled launch, leaders from all four parties met in the Rupayan Trade Centre in Banglamotor.
The NCP there raised strong objections to including United Peoples Bangladesh (UP Bangladesh), a political platform formed by a faction of former Islami Chhatra Shibir leaders.
Meanwhile, the top leadership of the Gono Odhikar Parishad remained divided over joining the alliance. As a result, the meeting ended without a resolution, fuelling uncertainty about the future of the proposed coalition.
The alliance expected to be announced today will reportedly not include UP Bangladesh or the Gono Odhikar Parishad.
When asked, Rashed Khan, general secretary of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, told Prothom Alo at around 12:30 pm today, “When the meeting took place, we raised several questions regarding the coalition’s objectives and aims. But those questions have still not been answered. We cannot take a leap in the dark without receiving clarity.”
He further said, “As we have not received answers regarding the alliance’s goals, purpose and capacity, the Gono Odhikar Parishad will not be part of it.”