One year after erupting onto the political stage, the National Citizen Party (NCP) marks its first anniversary today, tracing its roots to the July mass uprising that ousted the now activity-banned Awami League and redrew the country’s political map.
In just 12 months, the party contested a national election, won six seats and entered parliament. The ascent was swift but turbulent. Its electoral alliance with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami — a party with a deeply contested legacy — fractured internal unity and cast doubt on the NCP’s centrist identity and long-term direction.
Party leaders insist the turbulence has not dented their resolve and say their focus has shifted to organisational strengthening and the upcoming local government elections.
Analysts argue that while NCP capitalised on public goodwill and quickly reached parliament, it has yet to define a distinct national role.
“If they had avoided aligning with Jamaat and waited instead of rushing for power, things might have gone better because people were hopeful about them. They threw that chance away,” Sabbir Ahmed, a political science professor at Dhaka University, told TIMES of Bangladesh.
Born out of street protests, NCP positioned itself as a centrist force, promising collective leadership over personality-driven politics. In the 12 February election, it went head-to-head with BNP and formed an electoral coalition with Jamaat.
Of the 30 seats it contested, NCP secured six. Jamaat won 68 seats and, together with its 11-party alliance partners, the bloc captured 77 seats to become the parliamentary opposition.
Though a minor force numerically, NCP’s rise underscores the speed of political realignment following the uprising.
Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib said the party has sought to break from one-person dominance and institutionalise collective decision-making.
“Despite operating within a 17-year fascist establishment and a 54-year-old authoritarian constitutional structure, we are moving forward, expanding our organisation and remaining committed to safeguarding the public interest,” he said.
Before the election, NCP leaders had ruled out seat-sharing deals. On 23 November last year, Convener Nahid Islam pledged the party would not trade seats for power and aimed to field candidates in all 300 constituencies.
The subsequent alliance with Jamaat — criticised for its role in 1971 — prompted defections. NCP maintained the pact was electoral, not ideological.
At the height of internal unrest, Joint Chief Coordinator Md Arifur Rahman Tuhin defended the decision as a “majority decision”.
“A political party is not a private company to be run at will. When our core committee makes a decision, everyone must show loyalty to it,” he told TIMES.
Sources say efforts are under way to bring back members who left, though the viability of reconciliation remains uncertain if the Jamaat alliance is formalised.
The party is now weighing whether to convert the electoral pact into a broader political partnership while reiterating its reform agenda. As part of the opposition, it says it will be active both inside and outside parliament.
Joint Convener Sarwar Tushar said alliance decisions would be taken collectively and would not contradict the party’s own programme.
Adib acknowledged that entrenched political, business and media networks continue to constrain new entrants.
“The previous establishment still blocks newcomers. We rely on public support, but people are often caught in these networks. We must continue our struggle to overcome these challenges,” he said.
Attention has now shifted to local government elections. NCP says it will contest independently but has not ruled out alliances if strategically necessary.
Party sources said Asif Mahmud and Nasiruddin Patwari are under consideration for Dhaka South, while Adib is a potential candidate for Dhaka North in the upcoming city corporation polls.
Media Secretary Yeasir Arafat said strengthening the party’s organisational base is the immediate priority.
Analysts say NCP retains potential because of its youthful leadership, but its future hinges on whether it can balance pragmatism with ideological clarity.
“There are promising young people in NCP. If they move in the right direction, the potential remains. But if the party again chases power for its own sake, it risks fading into conventional power politics,” Sabbir Ahmed said.
