NCP’s Nasiruddin asks BNP, Jamaat to join elections abandoning ‘hypocrisy’

National Citizen Party (NCP) chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary on Monday accused the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami of obstructing the electoral process through what he termed as “hypocrisy”.

He called upon both parties to swiftly agree on the legal foundation and execution mechanism of the July Charter and to participate in the elections.

He was speaking to newspersons after a meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner over party symbols in the capital’s Agargaon area.

Responding to questions of the newspersons, Nasiruddin Patwary further said that lingering disagreements, particularly from BNP and Jamaat, were casting doubt over the holding of parliamentary polls.

“The election is not being delayed for any other reason. It is fundamentally because of these two parties. We call upon their leaders, activists and supporters—at least for the sake of the people—abandon this hypocrisy,” he said.

The NCP leader urged the leaders of the BNP and Jamaat to reach consensus on the execution mechanism from a legal perspective and contest the election soon.

Responding to a question of electoral symbols, Nasiruddin Patwary reaffirmed the NCP’s uncompromising stance.

“We are not moving from our position on the water lily. White lily, red lily—whatever the shade—it must be one of these three. Any deviation is unacceptable,” he stated.

He also alleged that conspiracies were being hatched to undermine this demand.

Expressing confidence, the NCP leader predicted victory in at least 150 parliamentary seats in the forthcoming national elections, citing grassroots surveys.

He said that the party’s candidate list will include participants of the July Uprising, Islamic scholars, lawyers, former army officers, as well as women, journalists, workers, and labourers.

Nasiruddin Patwary further announced plans to build a broader political bloc ahead of the election under NCP leadership.

“The bloc will be called NCP and the symbol will be the water lily. It will be a distinct alliance based on NCP’s principles,” he said, adding that the Gono Odhikar Parishad and several other parties would join the bloc.

Additionally, Nasiruddin Patwary hinted that the NCP would extend tacit support to young MP candidates backed by BNP and Jamaat.