Jatiya Nagorik Party Launched For A Democratic, Peaceful And Progressive Bangladesh

By Nava Thakuria, New Age Islam 5 March 2025 A student-led political party recently surfaced in neighbouring Bangladesh with the promises for a progressive political culture in the trouble-torn south Asian country and the Bangladeshis are seemingly jubilant at this moment hoping that the youths-led political party will uplift the populous country with all round developments in the days to come. The moment of fortune arrived on 28 February 2025, when Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizens’ Party) was born in Dhaka under the leadership of agitating students and young people, who compelled their sitting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to resign and flee to India on 5 August 2024, with an aim to contest next national elections. Jatiya Nagorik Party ------ Nahid Islam, who resigned as a member of the interim government led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka, was given the responsibility as the convener of JNP/NCP and Akhtar Hossain its member secretary. The caretaker government advisers, government officers, diplomats, professionals, civil society representatives, political party leaders, individuals who were involved in the July-August mass uprising were all invited for the launching program titled Atmaprakash, which was attended by thousands of common Bangladeshi nationals. The party was officially launched in front of Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) Bhawan following the playing of national anthem and one minute of silence observed in memory of those who were killed during the Monsoon Uprising. Reciting the sacred texts from Quran, Geeta, Tripitak and Bible, the leaders committed to work for fulfilling the aspiration of a new Bangladesh that is democratic, peaceful and progressive in nature. They also vowed to rewrite the constitution, if elected to power, with a constituent assembly so that all provisions encouraging dictatorial laws can be curtailed. They started their political activities after paying tributes to the Muktijuddhas (freedom fighters of 1971 Liberation War) at Savar national martyrs’ memorial. The JNP/NCP delegation was loud and clear that equality, human dignity, and social justice were not achieved in Bangladesh even after 54 years of its independence from Pakistan. The country of nearly 180 million people currently records over 12 crore eligible voters and the election commission assured a free, fair and comprehensive polls to elect the Parliamentarians (unlike India, Bangladesh has no state/province and hence there is no space for any Legislators). As the Hasina-led political party Awami League is facing unprecedented challenges following her abrupt escape, the primary opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expects a fair show in the 13th Parliamentary elections, scheduled for the year end or early next year. Recently, the BNP organised a mass gathering in Dhaka, where the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman called them virtually from London to get prepared for the polls. His mother Khaleda Zia, who is still functioning as the BNP chairman and presently in the UK for medical purposes, also addressed the meeting. Rahman emphasized on strengthening the party as ‘a democratic environment has returned to Bangladesh’ following the escape of Hasina. Mentionable is that the BNP remains out of power in Dhaka since 2009 as the Awami League government continued to rule the Muslim majority nation till last August. Exiled for years, Rahman did not forget to appeal to the Hindu community electorates to support the BNP in achieving their goal that every Bangladeshi national irrespective of their religious faiths enjoy dignity and equal rights. Criticizing the Awami League government for politically exploiting the Hindu families for all the years, Rahman asserted that most of the attacks on religious minorities were not influenced by the religious hatred, but greediness and manipulation of some ruling individuals. Amid all political developments, the United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres is visiting Bangladesh on 13-16 March following the invitation from Prof Yunus. The UN chief had already committed to garnering support for the Rohingya people, who are taking shelter primarily in Cox's Bazar of south Bangladesh after forcefully displaced from Arakan (Rakhine) State of Myanmar. Guterres, who is coming to Bangladesh for the second time (first in 2018 soon after taking the UN responsibility), earlier stated that he shared Prof Yunus’ concern over the impact of the Rohingya crisis on Bangladesh and the entire region. It will be a matter of observation, how the JNP/NCP leaders take the lead in Bangladesh’s electoral politics and approach immediate neighbours namely India and Myanmar. Till date, they have not shown any rhetoric towards India or Pakistan and it’s largely expected that the JNP/NCP will guide the country for a sustained multi-party democracy. Unlike many media outlets’ outbursts that its convener Nahid resigned from the interim government because of bad experiences with Prof Yunus and he would now take revenge against the octogenarian banker turned social business preacher turned interim government chief, the ground reality remains completely opposite. Rather one can interpret, if the JNP/NCP comes to power after the election, they will also need a recognized face in front of the international community and Prof Yunus may support their cause becoming the President of Bangladesh. ----- Nava Thakuria is an official representative of PEC in South & Southeast Asia URL: https://www.newageislam.com/current-affairs/jatiya-nagorik-peaceful-progressive-bangladesh/d/134783 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism