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He insists on the implementation of the July Charter before the elections take place
Published : 08 Mar 2025, 12:48 AM
National Citizen Party, or NCP, Convenor Nahid Islam has responded to questions about the funding sources of the party, which was formed by leaders spearheading the movement to oust the Awami League government.
Speaking at a press conference after NCP’s first general meeting at its temporary office in Rupayan Trade Centre in Dhaka’s Banglamotor, Nahid explained he intended to disclose donor names but feared potential harm coming to them.
The NCP was officially launched at an event in the capital’s Manik Mia Avenue on Feb 28.
Supporters from across the country attended the event.
It sparked a political debate over how the party’s young leaders managed to fund the launch.
When asked about it, Nahid, who stepped down from his position as an advisor to the interim government to lead the party, said: “We want this culture to emerge in Bangladesh's politics, where the source of financial assistance and its allocation are made transparent.
“This culture should be adopted by all political parties. It is not possible for us to implement this culture alone.
He continued, “If we reveal their [donors’] names, the government must ensure they will not face any harm. We want this culture to be institutionalised, so everyone follows it.”
The convenor highlighted that some media outlets had misinterpreted his statements on the party's financial management in an interview with Reuters.
He requested corrections to those inaccuracies.
Nahid said, “Some of my statements in the Reuters interview were misquoted or mistranslated. I said financially well-off individuals and well-wishers support us.
“We are moving towards online and offline crowdfunding. Some misleading reports have surfaced regarding this. I request the media to correct them,” he added.
Nahid also pointed out that some media outlets had incorrectly quoted his remarks on the elections, which were published under the headline "Elections impossible this year”.
He clarified that the statement was inaccurately reported.
The NCP convenor said, “I did not phrase it that way. What I said was that, given the current law and order situation and the fragile condition of the police, holding an election would be much more difficult.
“The police administration has not had experience in conducting a fair election for a long time, and their capabilities have not been tested.
“Therefore, we must improve the policing system before the election. Political and social forces must come forward to support this."
The general meeting also discussed worries over recent incidents of violence against women, as well as online bullying of female NCP members.
Nahid said, “Violence against women, rape, and catcalling are occurring. We strongly condemn and protest this.
“We urge the interim government to ensure swift justice for such acts of oppression in public spaces.”
He also highlighted that the NCP's sole demand is not elections.
“Before that, we want to see visible judicial actions. We want the July Charter, which is supposed to have everyone’s signature, to be implemented before the elections,” Nahid concluded.
