Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has announced that his party does not want proportional representation (PR) in the lower house of parliament.
He made the statement on Friday (September 19) during a press briefing at the Shahid Abu Sayeed International Convention Center in Shahbagh, Dhaka, following a meeting with grassroots leaders and activists.
Nahid Islam said, “For the legal foundation of the July Charter, there is no alternative to a Constituent Assembly. We want the PR system in the upper house, not the lower house.”
Clarifying the party’s current political stance, the NCP convener stated, “We are not joining any alliance at the moment. The NCP is not part of the simultaneous movement with Jamaat and other Islamic parties. We will move forward with our independent political agenda.”
On future preparations, he added, “Since we are demanding both a Constituent Assembly and national elections to be held together, we have instructed everyone to prepare for joint elections. By October, we will reorganize convening committees at the upazila level and return to the field. Our courtyard meetings are ongoing, and we will once again reach out to people with our 24-point program.”
Nahid Islam also expressed optimism about securing official recognition and electoral symbol: “We are hopeful of getting the ‘Shapla (water lily)’ symbol. The Election Commission has failed to present any valid reason against granting it, and we are moving towards registration.”
He further alleged that the ruling Awami League is being assisted from within the government: “Due to the weakness of the interim government and the law enforcement agencies, Awami League is able to hold rallies in various places. They are being organized in many ways, with direct support from within the state apparatus.”
