Dhaka [Bangladesh], November 8 (ANI): Expressing concern over the law and order situation in Bangladesh ahead of the elections in February 2026, a top leader of the new political party, the National Citizen Party (NCP), has urged the interim government to take necessary steps in this regard.
“We are concerned about the law and order situation. We have recently seen the violence break out in Chittagong, where a BNP leader was attacked, and what would really ensure a free and fair election is that the government is very serious about the law and order situation. The government has to act really swiftly if any violence breaks out so that those who are causing violence get the message very clearly that violence has no place in our electoral system,” Khaled Saifullah, Joint Convener of NCP, told ANI.
“If you look at the history of Bangladesh, political violence has been there. Political violence becomes more acute in the lead-up to the elections. A lot depends on how the government handles the law and order situation,” he added.
The students who led the uprising for the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in July and August 2024 formed the NCP in February this year. The party recently registered with the Election Commission. The NCP is advocating for institutional and constitutional reforms in Bangladesh through the implementation of the July Charter, a framework established for a new Bangladesh following the uprising.
Jamaat-e-Islami has urged a referendum in November this year ahead of the elections to implement the charter. However, the BNP has called for holding the referendum on the same day as the next parliamentary elections in February 2026.
“First of all, we need reforms; no one questions that necessity. However, how we will really achieve the reforms has been a source of differences of opinion among different political parties. It does not really matter to the National Citizen Party when the referendum is held. It can happen on election day or before, but what really matters is that the referendum is credible and held in a free, fair, and festive atmosphere,” Saifullah said.
“Regarding the July Charter signing and its implementation, we have two key demands. In the July Charter, many parties have attached notes of dissent, but what we are saying is that if you attach notes of dissent to the referendum question, then the referendum loses its value. Because political parties are saying whatever note of dissent we attached to, we will be able to do that no matter what the result of the referendum is,” Saifullah told ANI.
“In that case, political parties can just publish their manifesto, and they can ignore the result of the referendum. Then the referendum loses its value. Therefore, we must ensure that the referendum question does not provide opportunities for dissenting notes. Secondly, the order will ensure the referendum’s legal validity and ensure that the next parliament has dual status, both as parliament and as the reform assembly. We are stating that the order must be published as soon as possible. The government must pass the order very soon in order to ensure we really march forward towards the referendum and the election,” said Saifullah, who also heads Policy and Research at NCP.
“The current situation in Bangladesh does not really impact regional stability, but that risk always remains when the regional parties do not act equitably. We have always been saying that Bangladesh has a friendly view towards its neighbors. We also reach out to our Indian counterparts; we have a very friendly relationship with the people of India. After the July uprising, we have seen that the Indian government has taken the side of the fascist regime. We call on them to ensure that Hasina is handed over to the government of Bangladesh. Because she is facing trial in Bangladesh. To ensure justice, it is necessary that Sheikh Hasina be in Bangladesh. Other than that, we call on the Indian government to really ensure that we have a relationship based on mutual trust and mutual respect, and only that can ensure regional stability and prosperity, which should be preferred over communal or partisan interests,” the NCP leader said.
“We do not think that minorities need to be looked at as just a vote bank. Minorities should be looked at from the right perspective. Political parties need to respect the rights of minorities. If you look at the July uprising, people from various religious backgrounds, including Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Buddhist, all came together shoulder to shoulder to ensure that Bangladesh is just and prosperous. Bangladesh has a proud history of peaceful coexistence of different minorities. Some of the political parties are trying to take advantage of minorities. But we must ensure the rights of the minorities. The new Bangladesh must ensure the rights of all of its citizens, no matter their religious background,” Saifullah added.
The National Citizen Party (NCP) is a new student-led political party in Bangladesh. (ANI)
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