NCP, Gono Odhikar eye alliance to stand apart from BNP, Jamaat

Bangla Press Desk:   Leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and the Gono Odhikar Parishad are trying to build a separate alliance of like-minded parties, highlighting their moderate democratic position and their differences from the Jamaat-e-Islami and the BNP.

Sources said leaders of these parties believe that to be established as moderates, they cannot allow attaching any “tag” to them. NCP and Gono Odhikar Parishad want to create a separate and independent political equation outside of the  BNP and Jamaat in the country’s political arena.

At present, they want to focus on the implementation of reform proposals and the July Charter. As a result, they are trying to create an alliance focusing on the reform issues and the July Charter, which might be extended to the upcoming elections, according to sources.

Acknowledging the possibility of a new alliance, NCP Joint Convener Sarwar Tusher told the Daily Sun, “Initial talks on certain issues among various political parties are going on and have not been finalised yet. Primarily, the possible alliance will be reform-centric and time will tell whether it will become election-centric.”

Asked about a rumour regarding their political affiliation with Jamaat, and if they want to adopt a position where such controversy does not exist, Sarwar said, “It’s not just about avoiding controversy. We have held certain political positions from the very beginning and we have never compromised on it. Regarding reforms, we have many similarities with all the other parties except the BNP. But we have been framed separately only with Jamaat.”

Specifically rebutting the notion of a close tie between NCP and Jamaat, he said, “This framing is a political attempt by media outlets to create a secular versus religious division in the political landscape.”

“There are agreements on some reform issues with parties other than the BNP,” the NCP leader added.

He also said, “Our party maintains a consistent moderate democratic political position. Our political stance on the 1971 issue remains unchanged and clear.”

Regarding the separate political alliance, Shakil Uzzaman Shakil, higher council member and office secretary of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, told the Daily Sun, “We, along with some other parties, are primarily discussing electoral and governmental reforms to ensure transparency and impartiality, specifically focusing on the independence of key institutions.

“The present appointment process for autonomous bodies like the Public Service Commission (PSC) leads to partisan political appointments rather than merit-based selections. The selection committees for these statutory bodies must be constitutionally enshrined and independent to resist governmental pressure”
“However, a unified front or formal coalition has not yet been finalised,” he added.

Initially talking to leaders of the two parties it was known that they are moving forward with the discussion with AB Party, Ganosamhati Andolon, Rashtra Sanskar Andolan, Nagorik Oikya, Bhasani Janasakti Party, JSD etc.

Sources also said a discussion regarding merging the two youth-led political parties—NCP and Gono Odhikar Parishad—is in its initial stage. The core discussions may begin after the return of Nurul Haque Nur, president of the Gono Odhikar Parishad, who has been receiving treatment for injuries he received after getting beaten by the law enforcers last month.

Both the parties may be abolished, and a new party may be formed to bring them under a single umbrella.

At the same time, the frontline leaders of the July-August Uprising are trying to create a new political alliance of new beliefs beyond the political doctrines of BNP and Jamaat.

BP/TD