Staff Reporter :
The National Citizen Party (NCP) has issued a firm declaration that no election in Bangladesh will be acceptable without fundamental constitutional reforms.
Party leaders say any effort to move toward elections without restructuring the state’s legal and political architecture will be a betrayal of the people’s democratic aspirations.
Speaking at a dialogue with the National Consensus Commission on Saturday morning at the LD Hall of the National Parliament, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam underscored that Bangladesh must not return to fascism or authoritarianism.
“We are committed to moving forward by blocking every path that leads back to autocratic rule,” he said in his opening statement.
The party’s position, he clarified, is rooted in the July mass uprising, which demanded not just a change in political leadership but a transformation of the state itself.
“It was never about simply removing one party and replacing it with another. It was about ensuring a complete and qualitative transformation of the state that would uphold the rights and dignity of its people,” Nahid said.
He stressed that for the NCP, reform means foundational change-not minor adjustments. “We are talking about reforms that will bring a deep structural shift to the state machinery. The Constitution and key state institutions have long been politicized.
A personality-centric governance model was embedded in the very core of our constitutional framework. Without dismantling that structure, authoritarianism will continue to lurk within any government.”
The NCP has called for overhauls in the Constitution, the powers of the Prime Minister, the judiciary, and the electoral system. “These are not tweaks. These are fundamental to the birth of a truly democratic state,” said Nahid.
Echoing the same message, NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain told journalists during a break in the meeting, “We cannot proceed to elections until justice and reform are made visible. Yes, elections must happen.
But first, we must correct the system. The government may take the time it needs, but the reforms must come first.”
He also criticized the current constitutional structure, saying it inherently facilitates centralized power. “The Prime Minister holds absolute authority under this Constitution. This concentration of power allows for constitutional authoritarianism. We demand a balance of power and a reimagined Constitution to protect democratic governance.”
Hasnat Abdullah, the party’s chief organizer for the southern region, laid out a specific demand regarding the upcoming polls. “We are not calling for two separate elections. We are calling for one election-for the legislature-but with the clear understanding that this newly elected body must also function as a Constituent Assembly. Its first mandate should be to rewrite the Constitution.”
“Only a Constituent Assembly has the legitimate authority to bring about basic constitutional reforms,” Hasnat added. “That is what the country needs right now-not another cycle of elections that perpetuates the same system.”
Earlier in the meeting, National Consensus Commission Vice Chairperson Professor Ali Riaz supported the need for systemic change, stating, “We now stand at the threshold of building a new Bangladesh. Our task is to ensure that fascism does not return-not by chance, but by design.”
