NCP won’t be a ‘tame’ opposition even if it fails to form govt: Sarjis Alam
The National Citizen Party (NCP) aims to either assume power or serve as a strong opposition, said the party’s chief organiser for the northern region, Sarjis Alam.
“The NCP has not come to be Bangladesh’s 46th political party. We will either represent the people as the ruling party in parliament or as a strong opposition. We have not come to be a tame opposition like the Jatiya Party (JaPa) once was,” Sarjis declared.
He was speaking at a coordination meeting of the party’s Dhaka city (north and south) and Dhaka district units at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre in the capital’s Shahbagh on Friday.
The JaPa, during the Awami League’s tenure in power, was often criticised for being a compliant or “pet” opposition in parliament.
Formed by young leaders, who led the July mass uprising that toppled the Awami League government, the NCP is now preparing to enter the electoral fray.
Sarjis announced that the party would begin declaring district and city convening committees from Saturday, expressing hope that the Dhaka north and south city committees would be finalised within three days.
He set a strict timeline, stating, “By 15 November, convening committees must be formed in every district and city area. By 30 December, NCP must have convening committees in every ward — across districts, upazilas, unions, and metropolitan thanas. If we can achieve this, NCP will contest the next parliamentary election as one of Bangladesh’s two major political forces.”
Sarjis also outlined clear criteria for forming committees: each thana-level committee must be formed through coordination meetings held locally, not from the central office in Banglamotor; conveners must be over 40, and member secretaries not below 35; no one who held a position in the Awami League or its affiliates before the July uprising of 2024 will be eligible; inactive or controversial individuals are to be excluded.
He added that NCP’s doors remain open to “good people” from other political parties but warned against opportunism. “Let me be clear — if anyone thinks they can join NCP to pursue personal agendas or interests, they should either return to where they came from or stay away from NCP.”
Sarjis Alam expressed optimism that if Bangladesh moves forward with the spirit of July’s aspirations, within two years the NCP would become the country’s most desired, credible, and people-oriented political party.
He urged party members to work with that vision in mind.
The coordination meeting was also addressed by Akhter Hossen, the party’s member secretary; Nasiruddin Patwary, chief coordinator; Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (southern region); and Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint chief coordinator, among other senior leaders.