‘We do not want Awami to take part in the league election’, said NCP convenor Nahid Islam – We do not want Awami League to Participate in Elections Said NCP Convenor Nahid Islam NTC

Nahid Islam, convenor of the National Citizen Party (NCP), a student -led Bangladesh student, said in an interview that he does not want to take part in the election in the country Awami League, the party of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

NCP convenor Nahid Islam said in an interview published in the magazine ‘The Diplomat’ late on Tuesday night, ‘No, we do not want Awami to participate in the league elections. Those of Awami League who are responsible for wrong things, they should be prosecuted first.

Asked what kind of other Republic NCP envisages the other Republic, he said that his primary demand for the second republic is a new constitution, which will be based on the 1971 liberation struggle and the spirit of July rebellion.

The blessings of NCP Interim Government’s Chief Professor Mohammad Yunus have emerged as a political party, who in July-August last year led to a massive rebellion under a banner called Students Against Desire (SAD) or anti-discrimination student movement.

‘The country should be free from dominance of foreign power’

Asked what his party’s attitude on diplomacy is, Islam said, ‘First and most importantly, we want Bangladesh to free from the dominance of any foreign power and adopt a balanced and beneficial diplomatic approach.’

He said, ‘In the past we saw that the governance systems were very much dependent on the influence of Delhi. However, we will not allow the politics of Bangladesh to be concentrated around India or Pakistan. The NCP will be completely Bangladesh focused and will keep national interests paramount.

SAD initially launched a road campaign demanding improvement in the quota system for government jobs, but it turned into a political movement to remove the Awami League regime, as it tried to control the protesters using cruel force.

Let us know that after the violent movement, Sheikh Hasina left Bangladesh and moved to India on August 5. Mohammad Yunus, who was in Paris at that time, came to Bangladesh three days later and took over as the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government and a candidate for SAD.

According to the report of the United Nations Human Rights Office (OHCHR), about 1400 people were killed between July 15 to August 15, 2024, as retaliatory violence continued even after the violence targeted by policemen.

Since the change of power, most of the Awami League leaders and ministers were arrested or hid in the country and abroad and as a result, the BNP of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has emerged as the largest party in the political scenario.

This comment of Islam has come amid speculation about the employed election, as the interim government has taken several initiatives to form several commissions including constitutional reforms. However, BNP and many other parties and political analysts have demanded to hold elections as soon as possible after the minimum reforms, especially related to the election system. He says that reform is a continuous process and an indignant government should not remain in power for a long time.

Election not our immediate priority: NCP

When asked if the NCP wants elections to be held, Islam said, “Election is not our immediate priority (and) We are not currently setting any specific time limit for the election.”

He said, ‘Our focus is on prosecuting the criminals of the previous government, ensuring stable law and order in the country and establishing the Constituent Assembly. We are in favor of improving the constitution and election system so that the fascist rule cannot emerge again.

Now the ended SAD leaders had earlier demanded the Awami League to be banned from politics, but BNP and many other parties opposed this idea of ​​SAD. But an influential member of the interim cabinet, student representative Mahfooz Alam had earlier said that the Awami League will not be allowed to participate in the elections.

‘Efforts to underestimate liberation struggle’

The BNP also opposed the idea of ​​abolishing the 1972 constitution prepared a year after the rise of Bangladesh and dismissed the proposed other Republic. Its general secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “I am afraid that some people are trying to underestimate our (1971) liberation struggle.”

What did you say

Mohammad Yunus had refrained from giving a clear answer to the question of the first election deadline, but recently he said that after minimum necessary reforms, elections can be held in December this year, but if political parties agree on a big reform package, then this process can be postponed by June next year.

Yunus said in an interview earlier this month on the Awami League’s share in the election, ‘They (Awami League) have to decide whether they want to do so or not, I cannot decide for them. The Election Commission decides who will participate in the election.