Bangladesh: NCP defends Jamaat tie-up as electoral move amid deepening internal dissent

Dhaka, Dec 29 (IANS) As the National Citizen Party (NCP) announced its decision to join a Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance ahead of the Bangladesh general elections, triggering sharp internal dissent, party convenor Nahid Islam moved to clarify that the partnership was purely electoral and not based on any ideological convergence.

Islam said the NCP had initially been preparing to contest the upcoming polls independently and had drawn up plans to field candidates in all 300 parliamentary constituencies.

However, he said the political situation in Bangladesh had changed dramatically following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, forcing the party to reassess its strategy.

"In this current political situation, it is not possible for the NCP to contest the elections alone. That is why we decided to form an alliance with eight like-minded parties. This is not an ideological alliance; it is an electoral understanding," Islam was quoted as saying by leading Bangladeshi daily The Daily Star.

Earlier, NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb had also spoken to The Daily Star, asserting that the alliance was based on shared political objectives rather than ideological overlap.

"We're politically aligned on implementing the reform proposals within the democratic alliance. This will allow us to strengthen the role of eight to ten parties in implementing the July uprising's political agreement," he said.

Despite these clarifications, the decision has sparked serious turmoil within the party.

Around 30 senior NCP leaders have issued a joint letter opposing the alliance with the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami, while two top leaders have announced their resignations in protest.

Islam reiterated that the party's original plan was to contest all 300 seats on its own, but said the murder of Osman Hadi marked a turning point.

"In this changed context, we believe broader unity is essential to ensure a fair and competitive election. With that urgency, we held discussions with Jamaat-e-Islami and its eight-party alliance," he added.

The NCP emerged as a political force from the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) movement, which spearheaded last year's violent July protests.

The group later transformed into a political party under the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus.

Leaders opposing the Jamaat alliance argue that the move runs counter to the NCP's declared ideology and its stance on the July Uprising and democratic principles.

In a memorandum circulated within the party, dissenting leaders pointed to Jamaat-e-Islami's controversial political past, including its opposition to Bangladesh's independence and alleged involvement in atrocities during the 1971 Liberation War, calling these positions incompatible with the NCP's core values.

Meanwhile, Mahfuz Alam, a key figure associated with the 2024 violent uprising, has publicly distanced himself from NCP leaders over the decision to forge ties with Jamaat-e-Islami.

In a Facebook post, Alam said he could not remain "part of this NCP", as the internal rift widened, marked by a memorandum signed by 30 senior leaders opposing the alliance and the resignation of two high-ranking members.

Bangladesh is scheduled to head to the polls in February next year.