Desk Report:
Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam has said that as the days of the interim government passed, corruption has become more prevalent. He said, “Corruption is one of the problems of Bangladesh. After the July uprising, we expected the interim government to eliminate corruption. But as the days of the government passed, corruption has become more prevalent.”
He made this comment at a press briefing after the party’s coordination meeting on Friday evening. The day-long meeting was held at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Center in the capital.
After the meeting, Nahid Islam told reporters, “Corruption is one of the problems of Bangladesh. After the July uprising, we expected the interim government to eliminate corruption. But as the days of the government passed, corruption has become more prevalent. As a result, the Jatiya Nagorik Party should build social resistance and social movements against corruption in every area, every union and upazila. They should make people aware and unite against the corruption that has started anew. Our fight against corruption and mafia system will continue.’
Regarding the party’s program, Nahid Islam said, ‘The program that the National Citizen Party will give in the coming days for the establishment of a new settlement, for a new constitution, just as we took a district-based program in the July march, this time we will take an upazila-based program. The National Citizen Party has 24 points, we will go door to door with them again. We will have an organizational committee by October. We will reach every upazila by October.’
Regarding political alliance and merger, the NCP convener said, ‘The National Citizen Party will move forward with its goals and objectives, if any political party feels that they agree with the goals and objectives, then they can come with us.’
Regarding not joining the simultaneous movement led by Jamaat-e-Islami, Nahid said, ‘We are not in the simultaneous movement that is happening with Jamaat. Because, we do not want PR in the lower house. We have taken a stand against PR in the lower house. We only want an effective upper house for PR and accountability in the upper house. That ensures that the July Charter is implemented. As a result, we are not thinking about an alliance with any big party at this moment. Rather, the Jatiya Nagorik Party will move forward with its independent political objectives and unite the people.’
Nahid Islam said that in the coordination meeting, everyone in the party has been asked to prepare for the national election and the Constituent Assembly election. He told reporters, ‘We have asked everyone to prepare organizationally for the national election and the Constituent Assembly election. Secondly, we have asked them to build social resistance against the activities of the Awami League, fascist allies and corruption. We have given guidelines so that our organizational expansion reaches the union and ward levels within the next month.’
At that time, top NCP leaders Akhtar Hossain, Samantha Sharmin, Sarjis Alam and others were present with Nahid Islam.
The day-long coordination meeting was attended by members of the NCP’s central convening committee, leaders of its constituent organizations, and coordinators of district, metropolitan, upazila, and police station committees.
