Dhaka , 28 December (H.S.): A profound schism has erupted within Bangladesh's student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) on the eve of the February parliamentary elections, triggered by contentious negotiations for an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami.

Thirty senior leaders, including joint member-secretary Mushfiq Us Saleheen, delivered a sharply worded memorandum to party convenor Nahid Islam late on Saturday, decrying the proposed partnership as a betrayal of the NCP's foundational ideals born from the July 2024 Uprising.

Roots of the Uprising Legacy

The NCP traces its origins to the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) platform, which orchestrated the mass protests—marked by widespread violence—that ousted Sheikh Hasina's Awami League regime in August 2024, ushering in an interim government under Muhammad Yunus.

Formally launched in February 2025 with Yunus's endorsement, the party positioned itself as a fresh force for democratic reform, drawing energy from youthful activists committed to accountability and secular progress.

Yet, with polls looming on February 12, 2026, the NCP's faltering grassroots momentum has pushed it toward desperate seat-sharing deals, initially eyeing up to 50 constituencies before scaling back amid internal chaos.

Principled Stand in the Memorandum

Titled Principled Objections to a Potential Alliance in Light of the Accountability of the July Uprising and Party Values, the document lambasts Jamaat-e-Islami's historical antagonism toward Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War, including alleged collaboration in atrocities that clash irreconcilably with the NCP's democratic ethos.

Signatories warn that alignment with Jamaat's student wing, Chhatra Shibir—accused of infiltrating rivals and fomenting discord—risks eroding public trust, alienating young supporters, and tarnishing the party's credibility just as nomination deadlines approach.

Mushfiq Us Saleheen confirmed the submission around 8:00 p.m. on December 27, underscoring the dissenters' resolve to preserve the uprising's purity.

High-Profile Exits and Counter-Mobilization

Compounding the turmoil, two prominent figures have resigned: senior joint member-secretary Tasnim Jara, who announced on Facebook her intent to run independently from Dhaka-9, citing pragmatic political realities; and joint member-secretary Mir Arshadul Haque, a vocal Jamaat critic.

In a counterstroke, at least 80 central leaders, including senior joint convenor Ariful Islam Adib, penned a supportive letter to Nahid Islam on December 27, endorsing any leadership decision on alliances to bolster organizational unity and electoral viability.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar