NCP struggles to steady ship ahead of polls
The National Citizen Party is entering its first national election amid organisational turmoil, after a wave of resignations triggered by its decision to join the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance left key structures weakened and leadership gaps exposed.
Formed in the wake of the student-led mass uprising and presenting itself as a new political force, the NCP now faces fragmented preparations for the February 12 polls.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. Despite submitting nomination papers, the party remains short of election-ready structures, with crucial tasks, such as strategy-setting and manifesto drafting, either stalled or unfinished.
Over the past two weeks, at least 15 senior leaders have stepped down, including members of the election steering committee, manifesto committee, and policy and research wing.
Several others have grown inactive, further eroding the party's organisational capacity.
Grassroots leaders described the timing of the departures as a severe setback as heads and core members of multiple cells for office, media relations, publicity and ICT are inactive or no longer with the party.
They said routine party operations have become difficult, with remaining activities continuing only on a limited scale.
A senior NCP leader, speaking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity, admitted the party was not fully prepared for the polls.
With fewer than 40 days left, he said, the focus had shifted from comprehensive planning to short-term tactical execution.
When contacted yesterday, Senior Joint Member Secretary Ariful Islam Adeeb acknowledged the leadership crisis.
He said the party was moving to address the vacuum by forming a new election steering committee and was continuing work on its manifesto, which would be released after the seat-sharing process is finalised.
He added that the committee would be led by former adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, who recently joined the party as its spokesperson.
Minutes after the conversation with Ariful, the NCP issued a statement expanding Asif Mahmud's responsibilities.
Alongside overseeing the election process, he will now supervise multiple party cells, including media, publicity and publication, branding, office management, public relations, member recruitment, and research and policy.
He will also coordinate activities of the Dhaka North and Dhaka South units.
PARTY IN DISARRAY
Internal disruption became visible during the final phase of alliance negotiations.
Tasnim Jara, senior joint member secretary and general secretary of the election steering committee, resigned from the party.
Khaled Saifullah, head of the research and policy wing and a central figure in manifesto preparation, also stepped down.
Multiple party sources said his departure effectively halted the manifesto committee's work, as he had played a leading role in policy design and drafting.
The committee's remaining members -- Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary and Joint Convener Sarwar Tushar -- are now largely occupied with their own election campaigns, leaving manifesto work nearly dormant.
Sources further said that Khaled Saifullah left with key documents related to the manifesto, complicating efforts to restart the process.
Contacted for comment, Khaled Saifullah declined to respond.
Resignations have also hollowed out several operational units. Media Cell chief Mushfiq Us Salehin, ICT Cell chief Fahad Alam Bhuiyan, Office Cell head Saleh Uddin Sifat, and Farmers Wing chief coordinator Azad Khan Bhashani have all quit.
The alliance decision has also taken a visible toll on the party's female leadership. Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin, after withdrawing from electoral competition, has largely disengaged from party activities.
Another senior leader, Senior Joint Member Secretary Nahida Sarwar Niva, has not formally resigned but remains inactive in both election and organisational work, party sources said.
Others who have resigned or become inactive include Nusrat Tabassum, Monira Sharmin, southern region organiser Manjila Jhuma, northern region organiser Aranya Dyuti, and at least five more leaders.
On December 29, two days after the 11-party alliance had been announced, NCP Convener Nahid Islam named Asif Mahmud as the party's spokesperson and head of the Election Management Committee, replacing Nasiruddin Patwary.
A senior party leader said the lost time had come at a heavy cost.
Had internal disagreements been resolved and the alliance decision taken two months earlier, he said, the party could have positioned itself competitively in 20 to 25 constituencies.
In volatile electoral environments, he added, the past two months had been decisive, and largely squandered.
Looking ahead, he said the party's collective effort was now focused on making optimal use of the remaining time, accelerating campaign preparations, filling leadership gaps pragmatically, and contesting the election with whatever organisational strength remains.
The NCP emerged in late February directly from the heart of the mass uprising, led by the youth who stood at its forefront. From its inception, the party pledged to reshape Bangladesh's political order, dismantle constitutional autocracy, and build a durable democratic framework.
It was formed by members of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and Students Against Discrimination -- two platforms born of the student movement that ultimately brought down the Awami League regime.
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