30 NCP leaders object to alliance with Jamaat, send letter to Nahid Islam
The letter argues that political strategy must be shaped by policy principles, not the abandonment of those principles for short-term electoral gain
Highlights:
- Leaders urge a firm rejection of any Jamaat alliance
- They cite party ideology, the July Uprising and democratic morality
- Jamaat's recent activities, 1971 role flagged as incompatible with NCP values
- The move is warned to undermine political credibility and public trust
Thirty leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) have formally objected to the party's reported move to forge an electoral alliance with the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led eight-party alliance, submitting a letter of protest to NCP Convener Nahid Islam.
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The memorandum, titled "Principled objections to a potential alliance in light of the accountability of the July Uprising and party values", was sent amid reports that seat-sharing talks between the NCP and the Jamaat-led alliance are nearing completion.
Confirming the development, Mushfiq Us Saleheen, the first signatory to the letter, told The Business Standard at around 8pm today (27 December) that the memorandum had been submitted to the party leadership.
Saleheen serves as the NCP's joint member secretary.
The memorandum states that the signatories strongly object to recent discussions on a possible political alliance or seat-sharing arrangement between the NCP and an eight-party alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami.
The letter urges the party leadership to give serious consideration to these concerns while determining alliance policy and to take a clear and firm position against entering into any political alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.
It argues that political strategy must be shaped by policy principles, not the abandonment of those principles for short-term electoral gain.
According to the memorandum, the objection is rooted in the party's declared ideology, its historical responsibility following the July mass uprising, and questions of democratic morality.
It cites Jamaat-e-Islami's divisive political activities over the past year, including the role of its student wing Chhatra Shibir, allegations of infiltration and sabotage within other parties, efforts to blame the NCP for various incidents, the spread of misinformation and propaganda targeting the Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Songshod and student representatives, coordinated online attacks against female NCP members, and concerns over the rise of religion-centred social fascism.
The letter also highlights Jamaat-e-Islami's political history, particularly its anti-independence role during the 1971 Liberation War, alleged collaboration in genocide, and its stance on war-time crimes, describing these as fundamentally incompatible with the democratic spirit of Bangladesh and the core values of the NCP.
"As a democratic and people-oriented political force, our responsibility is to advance the state and society in a way that safeguards human rights, religious tolerance, gender equality, minority protection, civil liberties, and democratic values," the memorandum states, adding that any alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami would erode this moral position and damage the party's long-term political credibility.
The signatories further recalled repeated public commitments by the party leadership –including plans to contest all 300 seats independently and to form a "Democratic Reform Alliance" to implement reforms.
They argued that entering into a limited alliance now would contradict those pledges.
The letter describes any move toward a seat-sharing arrangement after selling nomination papers nationwide and selecting candidates through a broad campaign as a betrayal of public trust.
The memorandum was signed by joint member secretaries Mushfiqur Us Salehin, SM Saif Mostafiz, Faridul Haque, Md Farhad Alam Bhuiyan and Emon Syed, along with central organiser Arman Hossain and joint conveners Arpita Shyama Dev, Nusrat Tabassum and Khaled Saifullah.
Regional organisers include Md Shawkat Ali, Md Wahid Uz Zaman, Nafiul Islam, Hamza Ibne Mahbub, Nayan Ahmed and Asad Bin Roni for the southern region, while Dutee Aranya Chowdhury—also senior joint member secretary of National Youth Power—serves as organiser for the northern region.
Joint chief coordinators Navid Nowroz Shah, Khan Md Mursalin, Md Saddam Hossain and Abdullah Al Faisal, along with joint chief organisers Sadia Farzana Dina and Emon Syed, also endorsed the letter. Central members among the signatories include Jawadul Karim, Tariq Adnan Moon, Md Imran Hossain, Towhid Tanzim, Mahbub A Khoda, Syeda Neelima Dola, Salauddin Jamil Sourav, Khalid Saifullah Jewel and Rafiqul Islam Aini.
