Mahfuz won’t Jamaat-NCP alliance

Staff Reporter:

Mahfuz Alam, former adviser to the interim government and one of the key leaders of the July movement, believes that maintaining his long-term political position is more important than becoming a candidate of the Jamaat-NCP alliance.

He is a former adviser to the interim government and one of the prominent leaders of the July movement.

In a Facebook post this evening, he expressed his political stance on contemporary political issues and compromises.

Stating that his respect, affection, and friendship toward his July comrades will not be erased under the current realities, he said, “I am not joining the NCP (National Citizen Party). It is not true that I was not offered a proposal by the Jamaat-NCP alliance. But becoming a Jamaat-NCP alliance candidate in any constituency in Dhaka is less important to me than preserving my long-term position.”

Mahfuz said that the Citizens’ Committee and the National Citizen Party were organized by the frontline leadership of the July movement. As his July comrades are part of these two organizations, over the past one and a half years he has, whenever he wished, provided them with advice, guidance, and policy-level support.

Reiterating his political position, he said, “I have spoken about many issues-such as a new political-economic settlement, the cultural struggle against fascism, confronting social fascism, reconciliation, and building a society based on accountability and empathy. My July comrades have repeatedly voiced these ideas from within those two organizations. But did they truly internalize them?”

He added that he made every effort to establish the NCP as a distinct, broad ‘July umbrella’ in its own way, but for various reasons that did not become possible.

However, the former adviser believes that a new political-economic settlement is both possible and realistic, and that the rise of an alternative, centrist, youth-/July-based force is imminent.

At the same time, referring to the country’s current political situation as a “cold war,” he said that in this phase it is best to refrain from taking sides and instead remain steadfast in one’s views and principles. The possibility of an alternative youth-/July-based force has not yet ended. Rather, he said, “I will continue what I have said over the past one and a half years and the principles I have believed in-through political, cultural, and intellectual means. If you wish to join me in this, you are welcome.”