The National Citizen Party (NCP) is trying to bring back leaders who resigned over the party’s decision to enter into an electoral understanding with Jamaat-e-Islami and 10 other parties.
At least 16 leaders resigned over an 11-day period, although none of their resignation letters has been accepted so far. The NCP’s top leadership hopes the resigning leaders will return to the party.
The NCP formally announced its decision to join the Jamaat-e-Islami–led electoral alliance on 28 December. The previous evening, 30 leaders of the party submitted a memorandum to NCP convener Nahid Islam, urging him not to form an alliance with Jamaat.
That same evening, senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara announced her resignation from the party and declared she would contest the election as an independent candidate. She was also a member of the party’s policymaking body, the political council.
Earlier, on 25 December, while discussions over an understanding with Jamaat were still underway, Mir Arshadul Haque, known within the party as a leader of its anti-Jamaat faction, resigned from the NCP after expressing support for BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman.
He was joint member secretary of the NCP central committee and chief coordinator of the Chattogram city unit.
Two senior NCP leaders told Prothom Alo that the wave of resignations has left the party’s top leadership somewhat embarrassed and under psychological pressure, as questions are being raised about the NCP’s centrist positioning.
Other leaders who resigned include NCP joint conveners Khaled Saifullah (Tasnim Jara’s husband) and Tajnuva Jabeen, media cell secretary Mushfiq us Salehin, ICT cell chief Farhad Alam Bhuiyan, joint member secretary Arif Sohel, joint coordinator Khan Muhammad Mursalin, northern region organiser Azad Khan Bhasani (grandson of Maulana Bhasani), southern region organiser Wahiduzzaman, northern region organiser Dyuti Aranya Chowdhury, and members Syeda Nilima Dola, Asif Mostafa Jamal, Mir Habib Al Manzur, Marzuk Ahmed, and Al Amin Tutul.
Among those who resigned, only Tasnim Jara has been contesting the upcoming parliamentary election as an independent candidate remaining outside the party. However, her nomination for the Dhaka-9 constituency has been cancelled, and she has filed an appeal against the decision. Her husband, Khaled Saifullah, is assisting her in the electoral process.
The NCP has also fielded a candidate in Dhaka-9, joint convener Mohammad Jabed Mia, who is contesting with the party’s symbol, Shapla Koli.
Beyond the resignations, at least five female NCP leaders have publicly expressed strong opposition to the party’s understanding with Jamaat. Two of them, Monira Sharmin and Monjila Jhuma, have withdrawn from the election despite having been nominated as party candidates.
Two senior NCP leaders told Prothom Alo that the wave of resignations has left the party’s top leadership somewhat embarrassed and under psychological pressure, as questions are being raised about the NCP’s centrist positioning.
They also said the situation has undermined the spirit of the “Democratic Reform Alliance,” formed jointly by the NCP, AB Party, and the Rashtra Sanskar Andolon.
According to the leaders, the NCP leadership decided to move forward with Jamaat after careful consideration, but failed to adequately communicate the rationale to a section of the party. As a result, some leaders chose to resign.
The leadership views these resignations as immediate, emotional reactions. None of the resignation letters has been accepted, and senior leaders want to speak with the resigning members, explain the party’s position, and urge them to return. Efforts are underway to open dialogue with them.
Speaking about this, NCP senior joint convener and Dhaka-18 candidate Ariful Islam Adeeb told Prothom Alo, “We are trying to reach those who resigned through various channels. We hope many of them will return to the party.”
Sources said the NCP leadership had planned a meeting with the resigning leaders last Friday, but it ultimately did not take place.
One resigning leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said news of the meeting was leaked in advance and misinformation was spread on Facebook.
“It seems to us that a section of the party is trying to block our return,” the leader said. “They want everyone opposed to Jamaat to be pushed out of the party.”