NPA debuts with call for justice, social democracy

The left-leaning political platform Network for People’s Action (NPA), led by a group of July uprising activists and four former members of the National Citizen Party, was officially launched yesterday at Dhaka’s Central Shaheed Minar.

The platform formally began its journey at 4:00pm, when NPA leader Mir Huzaifa Al Mamduh announced the names of 99 members of its 101-member central council. 

He said the platform would outline its next course of action at a press conference next week.

The NPA has three spokespersons -- Tuhin Khan, former joint member secretary of the NCP; Nazifa Jannat, vice-president of the Chhatra Union’s central unit; and poet-activist Ferdous Ara. 

The three jointly read out the platform’s manifesto at the event.

Addressing the programme, NPA key leader Nazifa Jannat said the platform had emerged under the leadership of student activists, outlining five core principles and seven goals and objectives, including democracy, equality, human dignity and social justice, and the protection of life, nature and the environment.

In the welcome speech, NPA founding member Anik Roy said the platform had been formed to unite those committed to building a social democratic movement.

The NPA central council includes four former NCP leaders -- Anik Roy, Moinul Islam Tuhin (Tuhin Khan), Alik Mru and Syeda Nilima Dola -- who resigned from the NCP central committee between last September and December.

Anik previously served as general secretary of Chhatra Union and later as joint convener of the NCP. Writer and activist Tuhin Khan was the NCP’s joint member secretary, while Alik Mru served as its joint chief organiser for the northern region.

Other leaders include former Chhatra Union president Baki Billah; former Dhaka University student leader Mir Huzaifa Al Mamduh; Meghmallar Bose, president of the Chhatra Union’s DU unit; Sakhawat Fahad, former president of the same unit; and its general secretary Main Ahmed.

Young activists, student leaders, and people from various religious and ethnic communities have also joined the platform.

Those present at the event included poet, writer and thinker Farhad Mazhar; labour leader Moshrefa Mishu; journalist and writer Mashiul Alam; writer-researcher Altaf Parvez; BASAD leader Sima Dutta; Rajshahi University teacher Bakhtiar Ahmed; Samageet artist, singer and composer Amal Akash; Rastro Songskar Andolon leader Didarul Bhuiyan; and poet Zahid Jagat.