Several leaders to join NCP today from multiple parties, groups

Several leaders and activists from Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party), United Peoples Bangladesh (UP Bangladesh), and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement are set to join the National Citizen Party (NCP).

A press conference has been scheduled for today, Sunday at 1:30pm at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka, to mark the occasion.

A senior NCP policymaker and Member of Parliament, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that Ali Ahsan Junaid and Rafe Salman Rifat—key organisers of UP Bangladesh and former presidents of the Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir’s Dhaka University unit—will join the NCP. AB Party Joint General Secretary Sani Abdul Haque will also join.

In addition, leaders and activists from various units of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement—including its president Rifat Rashid, chief coordinator Hasib Al Islam, office secretary Shahadat Hossain, legal cell secretary Mahfuz, and Kushtia University unit convener SM Sweet—are joining the NCP and its affiliated bodies today.

According to a message from the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, Rifat Rashid will join Jatiya Juboshokti, Hasib Al Islam will join Jatiya Chatra Shokti, and Shahadat Hossain and SM Sweet will join the NCP’s central committee.

The NCP leader further said that several individuals are joining today, with more expected to join in phases.

When contacted, NCP Joint Convener Monira Sharmin said, “NCP aims to become a major party. To achieve that, it will have to accommodate many. The party’s doors are open to those who support Bangladesh-oriented politics and reforms.”

Junaid and Rafe from UP Bangladesh

Ali Ahsan Junaid and Rafe Salman Rifat previously served as presidents of the Dhaka University unit of Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh. Both were active during the July mass uprising.

After the uprising, when the National Citizen Committee was formed by youth leaders of the movement, Junaid, Rafe, and a section of former Shibir leaders joined it.

Subsequently, discussions began on forming the NCP through initiatives by the National Citizen Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. At the time, it was speculated that Junaid and Rafe might take leading roles in the new party.

However, the two former Shibir leaders did not initially join the NCP. After the party’s launch, they instead announced the formation of a new political platform—United Peoples Bangladesh—on 16 March last year.

UP Bangladesh formally debuted on 9 May at the Central Shaheed Minar, with Junaid as convener and Rafe as chief coordinator.

Despite expectations, UP Bangladesh did not gain significant political traction over the past year and recently faced internal divisions. On 3 April, a new party named Justice and Democracy Party (JDP) was launched under the initiative of its chief organizer Naeem Ahmed.

In this context, two of UP Bangladesh’s main organisers—Junaid and Rafe—are now joining the NCP. Junaid confirmed his decision to Prothom Alo, while a UP Bangladesh source confirmed Rafe’s move.

Ishaq Sarkar previously served as organising secretary in both Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal and Jubo Dal. During the rule of the Awami League, he was active in anti-government movements led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

He had been sentenced to two years in prison in each of two separate sabotage cases filed at Bangshal and Kotwali police stations in Dhaka. However, he was acquitted in both cases in November last year.

Ishaq sought the BNP nomination for the Dhaka-7 constituency in the 13th parliamentary election but did not receive it. He then ran as an independent (rebel) candidate with the football symbol. About a week before the election, he was expelled from the BNP’s primary membership and all party positions.

Sources say Ishaq is likely to join the NCP as well, though not today.

When asked, Ishaq told Prothom Alo this morning, “I may join the NCP. Discussions are ongoing.”