The political landscape of the country remains in flux as National Citizen Party (NCP) formally joins an electoral alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami, alongside eight other political parties, despite strong opposition from within its own ranks and criticism both online and offline.
The alliance, which also includes the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by retired colonel Oli Ahmad, was confirmed by Jamaat and NCP in separate press conferences on Sunday.
Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said the partnership would function as both an electoral and political alliance, while NCP convener Nahid Islam stressed that, from his party’s perspective, it would remain primarily electoral in nature.
Neither side disclosed details of seat allocation among alliance members. However, Jamaat’s ameer said discussions were nearing completion and that final decisions would be announced soon.
“There are still a few things left to finalise. We will clarify everything very soon,” Shafiqur Rahman said.
According to earlier NCP announcements, the party’s two top leaders are expected to contest the upcoming general election. Convener Nahid Islam is set to run from Dhaka-11, while Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain plans to contest from Rangpur-4.
On the Jamaat side, Shafiqur Rahman has collected nomination papers for Dhaka-15 constituency, while Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish leader Mamunul Haque has done so for Dhaka-13.
Meanwhile, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Syed Rezaul Karim has been holding talks with Jamaat over the Barishal-5 seat, though no final decision has yet been announced.
For the LDP, the move marks a notable shift. Oli Ahmad had announced on December 24 that his party would contest the election independently. Following its inclusion in the Jamaat-led alliance, it remains unclear which constituency he will contest.
Oli Ahmad has represented Chattogram-13 multiple times in past parliamentary elections.
The alliance has triggered significant turmoil inside the NCP. Several senior leaders opposed the decision, and multiple resignations followed the formal announcement.
Among those who stepped down were Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasnim Jara and Mir Arshadul Hoque, who served as joint member secretary and chief coordinator of NCP’s Chattogram Metropolitan unit.
The tense political environment in recent days has been marked by speculation over the alliance’s durability and the depth of internal divisions within NCP.
When asked whether the inclusion of new parties had transformed the arrangement into a full political alliance, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman said it had.
“It is an electoral alliance as well as a political alliance. It is meant to cover all purposes for building the nation,” he said.
NCP convener Nahid Islam, however, reiterated a narrower interpretation, insisting the alliance is strictly electoral from his party’s standpoint.
At a later press conference, Nahid Islam explained the reasoning behind the party’s shift.
He said NCP had initially planned to contest all 300 parliamentary seats independently and had invited nominations nationwide. The party later reached a reform-oriented political understanding with two other parties, agreeing that all three would contest the election together.
However, he said the assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, Inqilab Moncho spokesperson, dramatically altered the political context.
“The incident highlighted that hegemonic forces continue to exert significant influence,” Nahid said.
In light of the changed circumstances, he explained, NCP concluded that a broader alliance was necessary to ensure fair and competitive elections and to counter dominant political forces.
“Accordingly, the party entered talks with Jamaat-e-Islami and eight like-minded parties and ultimately agreed to the electoral understanding after detailed discussions within our executive body,” he said.
Nahid acknowledged that disagreements persist within the party but said participation in the election would be an individual choice.
“NCP remains committed to its principles,” he said. “The party will continue to work according to its own goals and ideals, while other parties in the alliance will pursue theirs.”
