Patwari defends Cox’s Bazar visit, says he went to seaside ‘to reflect on future of politics’

The NCP leader calls the trip a “responsible mental exercise” for a political activist

Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator of the National Citizen Party, has defended his trip to Cox’s Bazar during the first anniversary of the July Uprising, saying he went there to quietly reflect on the future of politics.

In his response to a party show-cause notice on Thursday, Patwary said he sat by the seaside to privately consider the future of politics, including the Uprising, the structure of the NCP, a future People’s Assembly, and the framework of a new democratic Constitution.

“I do not consider this to be any offence. Rather, for a political activist, it is a responsible mental exercise,” he added.

Nasiruddin also said he had no scheduled state or party programmes on Aug 5, and was not assigned any official duties.

Two days earlier, while the anniversary was being officially observed in Dhaka, five senior NCP leaders were in Cox’s Bazar.

By midday, word spread in the area that the group had held a meeting at a hotel with former US ambassador Peter Haas.

News of the meeting spread quickly, prompting the BNP activists to demonstrate outside Sea Pearl Resort and Spa in Inani, also known as Hotel Royal Tulip.

The party later asked all five leaders to explain their presence there, amid public criticism.