Nahid Islam, the convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has remarked that if elections are held without fundamental, not just minimal, reforms, the party's participation will remain under consideration.
He made these comments to journalists on Wednesday afternoon, following a meeting with a US delegation.
He said:“The main focus of our discussion with the US delegation was the current political situation, reform activities, and the upcoming election. In addition, they were interested in the security of minorities, the future direction of politics in Bangladesh, and the structure, organizational activities, and ideology of our party. We explained everything from our standpoint.”
Highlighting the party's three core demands: justice, reform, and Constituent Assembly elections, Nahid Islam said: “We have made it explicitly clear that we are not aiming for minimal adjustments; our goal is fundamental reform aimed at qualitative change in the state. Moving towards elections without any form of structural change would be dangerous for the country, and whether or not the National Citizen Party will participate in such an election will be considered.”
At the time, Nahid Islam also alleged that party leaders and activists of the National Citizen Party are being attacked in various parts of the country.
He said: “The administration is playing a silent role regarding incidents of attacks and extortion. We observe that the administration is siding with the BNP in various places. Even at the grassroots level, where extortion is rampant, the administration remains mute. We’ve said that if such an administration remains in place, it will not be possible to hold elections under it. To ensure a level playing field, we must guarantee a neutral administration, police, and bureaucracy.”
He further added: “We are initially supporting the election time-frame proposed by the chief adviser, but it is essential to clarify what actions must be taken before going into the elections. Especially, without outlining a roadmap for justice, implementing reforms, and enforcing the July Charter, merely discussing the election timeline is meaningless.”
Alongside Nahid Islam, present at the event were NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Senior Joint Convener Samanta Sharmin, and Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Zara.
