NCP, LDP join Jamaat-led alliance ahead of polls
Staff Reporter:
Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Shafiqur Rahman announced that the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have officially joined the Jamaat-led eight-party alliance, bringing the total number of parties in the coalition to ten.
Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday, Shafiqur Rahman described the development as timely amid “a critical phase in the country’s national life.”
He added, “The seat-sharing agreement is nearly finalised, and the remaining nominations will soon be submitted. We remain optimistic about the process.”
Through discussions and negotiations, the alliance has already reached agreements on several seats, though Shafiqur Rahman noted that while other parties have expressed interest in joining, expansion of the alliance is not feasible at present.
The press briefing was attended by key leaders, including LDP Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmed, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis Ameer Mamunul Haque, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Presidium Member Ashraf Ali Akon, and Jamaat Assistant Secretary General Hamidur Rahman Azad.
The NCP’s decision to join the alliance has, however, triggered mixed reactions within the party.
Yesterday, 30 NCP leaders submitted a protest letter to party Convener Nahid Islam opposing the alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. In contrast, another 80 leaders sent a letter supporting a seat-sharing arrangement or alliance as determined by the party leadership ahead of the polls.
In response to the alliance decision, NCP leader Tasnim Jara resigned from her senior joint member secretary post and declared her intention to contest the upcoming election as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9 constituency.
Meanwhile, Tajnuva Jabeen also resigned as joint convener of the NCP, announcing via Facebook that she would not participate in the forthcoming general election due to disagreements over the Jamaat alliance.
The NCP, a relatively new party formed by student leaders of the July mass uprising, was officially launched on 28 February in Dhaka, with the aim of establishing a democratic state grounded in rights and dignity.