Staff Reporter :
On the second day of its month-long “Desh Garte July Padayatra” (July Walkathon for Nation Building), the National Citizen Party (NCP) ramped up its grassroots campaign in the northern districts, holding rallies in Kurigram and Lalmonirhat and invoking the spirit of last year’s July Uprising.
Addressing a midday rally in Ghoshpara, Kurigram, NCP Convener Nahid Islam issued a strong warning against delays in implementing the long-promised Teesta Master Plan. He also criticised what he called an urban-centric development agenda that overlooks rural communities.
“We will not tolerate delays over the Teesta Master Plan,” Nahid said, speaking to a crowd gathered at the Liberation War Memorial. “Development must reach the furthest corners of Kurigram. Development centred only on Dhaka is not real development.”
The day began with a procession from Rajarhat Bazar to Trimohoni and onward to Ghoshpara, with central and local NCP leaders engaging residents along the route. By late afternoon, the campaign moved to Lalmonirhat, where a second street rally was held from the BDR Gate to the Mission intersection.
The walkathon, which commenced on 1 July at the grave of Abu Sayed-a student protester killed during the 2024 uprising-aims to carry the message of popular resistance to communities across the country. The NCP, founded in the aftermath of the uprising, has positioned itself as a political force committed to institutionalising the movement’s democratic ideals.
Speaking earlier at the walkathon’s launch in Rangpur, Nahid said: “Let us make one thing clear-if anyone thinks that the thousands who once took to the streets have now stepped back, they are mistaken. From Abu Sayed’s grave, we declare our determination to reach every corner of Bangladesh.”
In Kurigram, he reiterated his criticism of the post-Hasina political landscape. “The authoritarian regime may have fallen, but the structures of authoritarianism remain. The same power networks, the same culture of impunity-these must be dismantled. That is why the NCP exists: to ensure that our people never again live in fear or subjugation.”
Several senior NCP figures also addressed the rallies. Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, Southern Region Organiser Hasnat Abdullah, and Northern Region Organiser Sarjis Alam accompanied Nahid throughout the day. Prominent members including Samanta Sharmin, Tasnim Zara, Nahida Sarwar Nibha, and Akhter Hossain were also present.
At the Ghoshpara rally, Hasnat Abdullah directed a message to law enforcement agencies, urging neutrality. “Brothers in uniform – do not become a party police. You witnessed what happened when the police were made to serve political interests. Stand with the people, not with any one party.”
The walkathon is scheduled to continue westward. After an overnight stay in Nilphamari, NCP activists will resume their journey, with further rallies and public meetings planned in the days ahead.
From the rice fields of Rangpur to the riverbanks of Lalmonirhat, the NCP’s step-by-step campaign is emerging as both a political mobilisation and a symbolic reclaiming of space in the country’s evolving democratic landscape.
