Dhaka, February 28: Bangladesh is set to witness the emergence of a new political force as the Jatiya Nagorik Party (National Citizen Party - NCP), led by students who spearheaded last year’s mass uprising, officially launched in Dhaka on Friday.
A large stage has been set up at Manik Mia Avenue in central Dhaka, where leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement—popularly known as Students Against Discrimination (SAD)—will inaugurate their political platform. The movement played a pivotal role in the protests that led to the ousting of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
Three days after Hasina's departure, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed office as the Chief Adviser of the Interim Government, effectively serving as the prime minister. The new party, backed by Yunus, is expected to draw a massive crowd of nearly 300,000 attendees, including students from all 64 districts of Bangladesh and families of those who lost their lives during the July-August uprising.
"We have invited key political figures from across the spectrum," said an NCP spokesperson, confirming that Yunus is among the high-profile invitees. Others on the guest list include Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson and former premier Khaleda Zia, her son and acting BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman, BNP secretary-general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Shafiqur Rahman, and leaders of various right-wing, left-wing, and Islamic groups.
Despite Yunus’ assurances of neutrality, BNP has expressed skepticism regarding the interim government's impartiality ahead of the upcoming general elections in December 2025. Concerns deepened after Yunus openly endorsed the student-led party, while three SAD representatives were appointed as government advisers. The criticism intensified when Nahid Islam, an adviser overseeing the information ministry, resigned earlier this week to head the NCP, raising allegations that the party was being established with government backing.
Aftermath of the Uprising and Recent Unrest
A United Nations fact-finding report revealed that nearly 1,400 people lost their lives during the crackdown on last year’s uprising. Tensions in Bangladesh have continued to rise, with renewed unrest erupting on February 5 this year. Protesters torched and demolished the historic residence of the country's founding leader, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, in Dhaka. This incident coincided with a scheduled virtual address by his daughter, Sheikh Hasina, to students in India.The unrest also saw homes and businesses owned by Awami League leaders and supporters being attacked across the country. In response, security forces launched a nationwide crackdown named Operation Devil Hunt, arresting over 8,600 individuals allegedly linked to criminal activities tied to the former government.
Authorities have linked the surge in arrests to growing security concerns, particularly in Dhaka, where the number of robberies has reportedly doubled since January 2024.
As Bangladesh stands at a political crossroads, the formation of the NCP marks a significant shift in the nation’s power dynamics. With the December elections approaching, the role of this new student-led party—and its alignment with the interim government—will be closely watched.
