'New constitution, Constituent Assembly election': What top NCP leaders said during launching ceremony

Seven months after the uprising, the student leaders who spearheaded the movement have launched a new political party of their own from the capital's Manik Mia Avenue today (28 February).

Named the National Citizen Party (NCP), it will be led by one of the key coordinators of the movement, Nahid Islam, as the convener.

The party leaders are mostly comprised of members of the Student Against Discrimination and their civil-political platform, Jatiya Nagorik Committee.

Many of the NCP leaders have already taken the stage to speak at the launching ceremony. 

Here's what they have said:

Time to build new republic: Nahid Islam, convener of NCP

The dream of building a 'second republic' in Bangladesh is no longer an elusive dream anymore, Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), said at its inauguration ceremony today (28 February).

"Now is the time to dream of a new future and work together to build the Bangladesh we desire. We must move forward with unwavering determination in our fight to establish the second republic," he also said.

"From the platform of the National Citizens Party, we only want to talk about the future, about dreams. We came here to fulfill that dream. Today, our alternative political party is based on the slogan 'who is the alternative [Bikalpa Ke?]'. The conspiracy to keep Bangladesh weak by creating politics of division ended through the uprising.

"Bangladesh can never be divided again. Pro-India, pro-Pakistan politics will not continue here."

'Demand Constituent Assembly election': Akhtar Hossain, member secretary

Speaking at the launching event, NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain demanded a Constituent Assembly election on behalf of the party.

Announcing more than twenty names for the three posts of joint convener, joint member secretary, and joint chief organiser, Akhtar said, "This is a partial committee, the full committee will be announced through a press release."

He also said, "The future Bangladesh will be governed by a new constitution, for this reason, I am demanding the election of the Constituent Assembly on behalf of the new party."

All parties must unite to realise people's dream: Sarjis Alam, chief organiser for northern region

All parties must unite to realise the dream that the people have had after 5 August 2024, the day former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted through a mass uprising, said Sarjis Alam, the chief coordinator (South Region) of NPC.

"Only then will the Bangladesh of the future be an unstoppable Bangladesh," he added.

"The trial of the murderer Hasina must be done unitedly. If we work by forgetting our petty interests, we will move forward. Please, let us not consider anyone as an opponent. Let us all learn from the murderer Hasina. Only then will our desired Bangladesh be possible," he also said.

Sarjis also called on government employees not to take bribes from the public.

"None of us should go to the police or court with any recommendations for any criminal."

AL regime nurtured a culture of impunity: Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser for northern region

The fallen Awami League (AL) regime nurtured a culture of impunity for one and a half decades, said Hasnat Abdullah, NPC's chief organiser for the northern region.

"For one and a half decades, the Awami League nurtured a culture of impunity. The BDR massacre was labelled as a BDR mutiny. A massacre was also carried out at Shapla Chattar. The practice of conducting elections at night instead of during the day began, and dummy votes were cast," he said.

Hasnat also said, "The hard-working people of this land will decide who goes to parliament. We have failed to develop the nation and establish an independent judiciary, a functional police force, and an efficient bureaucracy. We want to commit to building functional institutions and not engaging in divisive politics."

"Our friends abroad will remain, but there will be no imposed prescriptions," he added.

He further said, "We will build a better Bangladesh by combining the wisdom of the elderly with the passionate spirit of the youth. It will be a country where freedom of expression and the right to dissent exist, a country where the sons of blacksmiths and potters can become leaders."

'72 Constitution could not save students-public from Hasina: Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator

The 1972 Constitution could not save the people of Bangladesh from "Sheikh Hasina's venom", Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of NCP, said.

"In the last 15 years, whenever we spoke about democracy, we have been murdered, exiled and made victims of enforced disappearance.

"Even then, the student-public has brought independence by sacrificing blood from the struggle of 1947 to the fall of Hasina," he said.

"Currently, the state-run institutions are not in a functional condition. The 1972 Constitution could not save the student-public from Hasina's venom. That is why we will announce a new party in front of the families of the martyrs, in front of the injured, and in front of senior politicians," said Patwari.

"For this reason, the platform for announcing the party has been prepared in advance by forming more than 500 committees of the Citizens' Committee," he added.

'We'll take on the responsibility to rebuild Bangladesh': Samanta Sharmin, senior joint convener

Bangladesh needs to be reorganised as a state because there has been no initiative to build this state properly, said Samanta Sharmin, senior joint convener of NCP.

"Now we will take that responsibility. Since there is no party that speaks for the land and people of Bangladesh, a new political party is needed," she said.

"A new party is needed for the Bangladesh state to ensure it gets its due share and to be the voice of the working class and the people who speak against corruption and extortion," she added. 

"Today's party will be the party that will realize those rights."

Not here to seize power, but to return it to the people: Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary

The NCP has been formed to return the power to the people of Bangladesh, Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary of the party, said.

"We are here to form a party that does not seek to seize power, but will return the power of the people to the people.

"Education and health will not be considered commodities. Bangladesh will change with our hands," she said.

Future Bangladesh will be the Bangladesh of youth: Abdul Hannan Masud, joint chief coordinator

There will be no extortion in Bangladesh in the future, Abdul Hannan Masud, joint chief coordinator of NCP, said.

"The future Bangladesh will be a Bangladesh of democracy. There will be no extortion in the Bangladesh of the future. In the Bangladesh of the future, no lives will be lost in violence before the elections. The Bangladesh of the future will be a Bangladesh of youth," he said.

Referring to NCP chief Nahid Islam, he said, "Our leader, the Imam of democracy, Nahid Islam, has left the seat of power and joined the ranks of the people."