NCP questions fairness of upcoming polls

Staff Reporter :

National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam on Sunday said he does not see a “level playing field” ahead of the upcoming national election, warning that powerful political actors are attempting to turn the polls into a prearranged, seat-sharing exercise.

Speaking at a press conference at Shaheed Abu Sayed International Convention Hall in Shahbagh, Dhaka, he alleged that parties which were once allies are now “conspiring” to engineer a divided and compromised election.

“Those who were once friends are now plotting. Political parties are planning to turn this election into a shared, arranged election,” he said.

Expressing concern over what he described as an uneven electoral environment, Nahid Islam said Bangladesh’s electoral culture has long been marred by “forceful occupation, misuse of administration, influence of money, black money, and muscle power”.

Even during the country’s “fascist period”, he added, many voters could not cast ballots at all.

“Despite expectations of a democratic and transparent election this time, we do not see the Election Commission, the government, or the administration taking the strong stance required to ensure fairness,” he said.

He urged authorities and anti-fascist political parties to work together to allow the administration to act impartially.

‘We will not compromise for power or seats’
The NCP chief dismissed speculation that the party was negotiating alliances behind closed doors, saying the party would not compromise its ideology or principles to secure parliamentary seats.

“Even if we do not win a single seat, we will remain firm in our ideals,” he said. Rumours and “false news” spread by parts of the media were attempting to steer the NCP in a certain direction, he alleged.

Nahid Islam reiterated that the NCP intends to field candidates in all 300 constituencies independently.

However, he said discussions could take place with any political force that aligns with the party’s manifesto or ideological goals.

“If we enter into any coalition, we will inform the nation openly. Nothing will remain secret,” he said.

He added that political parties naturally exchange views, especially after July’s mass uprising, but criticised the media for presenting such conversations as clandestine negotiations.

Nomination interviews begin
Sunday’s press conference coincided with the start of the party’s two-day interview process for nomination seekers.

Between 6 and 20 November, the NCP distributed 1,484 nomination forms—an average of five candidates per seat—through both online and offline systems.

NCP chief coordinator and election steering committee head Nasiruddin Patwary said 761 aspirants collected forms offline and 723 online.

Ten interview boards have been formed for ten divisions, with sessions running from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm on Sunday and Monday.

“We will speak to the nomination seekers about their dreams, skills, and qualifications. This interview is a preliminary screening.

Final nominations will be made by our political council, which will function as the central parliamentary board,” Nahid Islam said.

‘Old political habits are fading’
Sarjis Alam, the party’s chief organiser for the northern region, said the era of voting solely by party symbol is fading. “People will no longer choose candidates based merely on age, symbol, or old parties,” he said.

NCP senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara said the party wants to introduce “a new style of politics” built on transparency and accountability.

NCP central leaders Mujahidul Islam, Atik Mujahid, Abdullah Al Amin, and Md Ataullah were also present at the briefing.