Uprising leaders float party aiming at second republic
Student leaders of the successful July-August mass uprising against the Awami League regime on Friday launched a new political party, the National Citizens’ Party, aiming at establishing a second republic.
The Students Against Discrimination that led the mass uprising, jointly with the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, another platform of the people that were at the forefront of the mass uprising, formally announced the party at a ceremony at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.
After announcing the name of the party, NCP convener Nahid Islam in a declaration said that the July uprising had initiated the struggle to establish a second republic.
He said that all possibilities of re-establishing a constitutional dictatorship must be eliminated by drafting a new democratic constitution.
He said that one of their primary goals was to achieve this through the election of a Constituent Assembly to establish the desired second republic.
‘Our country, our rights, our future—our second republic is not an elusive dream, it is our promise,’ Nahid said.
When Nahid was making the declaration in the evening in the hope of an enlightened Bangladesh, Manik Mia Avenue was filled to the brim, echoing with thunderous applause and cheers.
He said that the second republic would establish a strong defense system to safeguard national interests.
Nahid mentioned that rebuilding the collapsed political, social, economic, and cultural institutions and preserving the democratic character of the state would be the priority of their politics.
‘There will be no place for pro-India or pro-Pakistan politics in Bangladesh. We will build the state with Bangladesh and the interests of its people at the forefront,’ he said.
Leaders from different political parties attended the launching ceremony of the new party as guests.
The political leaders included Bangladesh Nationalist Party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, BNP joint secretary general Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami secretary general Mia Ghulam Parwar, Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Zonayed Saki, Revolutionary Workers Party leader Akbar Khan, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis general secretary Jalal Uddin Ahmed, Islami Andolan Bangladesh presidium member Ashraf Ali Akand, Hefazat-e-Islam nayeb-e-amir Ahmad Ali Qasemi and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh executive president Abdul Mannan.
The programme began at about 4:20pm with recitations from the Quran, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tripitaka, and the Bible, followed by the playing of the national anthem.
Mim Akter, a sister of July uprising martyr Ismail Hossain Rabbi, then announced Nahid Islam as the convener and Akhter Hossain as the member secretary of the new party.
Nahid Islam began his address by extending his greetings to the students and the people who participated in the July-August mass uprising, the family members of the martyrs and the leaders of the political parties.
He said that, in July-August 2024, the student masses, through great sacrifice, overthrew the long-standing fascist government.
He said that their struggle was not simply about replacing one government with another.
The people responded to the uprising with a desire for a new political settlement, aiming to abolish the entrenched fascist system and reorganise the state based on the rights of the people.
‘With that goal in mind, we are announcing the establishment of the National Citizens’ Party, which will be a democratic, egalitarian, and representative political party of the people,’ he declared.
Citing the long struggle and rich culture of the Bengal Delta people, from British rule to the 1971 Liberation War, Nahid said that though the people had continuously fought for democracy, Bangladesh had yet to achieve a political settlement to ensure democracy, equality, and social justice.
Nahid said that their determination was to establish a society based on justice and equality.
He also said that the July 2024 mass uprising was not only a victory against a fascist regime but also a commitment to building a better future.
At the event, Akhter Hossain announced the partial committee of the party, saying that the full committee would be revealed through a press release.
NCP chief organisers Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, senior joint convener Samanta Islam, senior joint member secretary Tasnim Zara, and chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, among others, also spoke.
Among others, Ariful Islam Adeeb has been named as senior joint convener, Nahida Sarwar Niva as senior joint member secretary, and Abdul Hannan Masud as joint chief coordinator.
New Age
