United News of Bangladesh

The launch event of the new political party of student activists of the July Movement named Jatiya Nagorik Party-JNC (National Citizen Party) formally started in the capital's Manik Miah Avenue on Friday afternoon. The event started at 4:20 pm with recitations from the Holy Quran, Gita, Tripitaka, and Bible. The National Anthem was sung, and  one-minute silence was observed in memory of those martyred during the July mass uprising. Thousands of people from the city and various districts of the country have already joined the launch event, and many are still joining the programme.

Thousands of people with procession are still joining the launching of a new political party of student activists of the July Movement, in the capital's Manik Miah Avenue. The launch event of the new political party named Jatiya Nagorik Party-JNC (National Citizen Party) formally started at 4:20 pm with recitations from the Holy Quran, Gita, Tripitaka, and Bible. The National Anthem was sung, and a one-minute silence was observed in memory of those martyred during the July mass uprising. Thousands of people from the city and different districts of the country  already joined the launching event. The new political party was formed by leaders of the Jatiya Nagarik Committee (JNC) and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM). The names for top ten post of the new political party have been finalised. Former information adviser Nahid Islam is certain to be the convener of the new party, while Akhter Hossen to be its member secretary. The names that were finalised for other top posts include Samanta Shermeen and Ariful Islam Adeeb for the two senior joint convener posts and Tasnim Jara and Nahida Sarwar (Nova) for two senior joint member secretary posts.

The Jatiya Nagorik Committee (JNC) has called on the government to immediately resume the sales of essential commodities in TCB trucks and withdraw recent hikes in VAT and supplementary duties to alleviate the plight of the country's low-income population. Addressing a press conference at the organisation’s central office in Bangla Motor on Saturday, JNC Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain criticised the suspension of the truck sales programme, which he described as a vital lifeline for marginalised communities. “The programme provided essential commodities at subsidised prices. Halting it has stripped the marginalised of their minimal rights guaranteed by the state,” he said. Hossain urged the government to prioritise the welfare of citizens amid soaring market prices. “Under the current economic conditions, further burdening ordinary people is unacceptable. The sacrifices made to end autocracy must not be in vain,” he added. TCB activities to be digitised with smart family cards: Commerce Adviser The JNC leader also demanded the government revoke the ordinance increasing VAT and supplementary duties and resume the TCB truck sales programme without delay. Highlighting corruption, Hossain alleged that $234 billion was siphoned off the country during the previous government’s 15-year rule. He urged the current administration to take stringent measures to recover the laundered funds and reconsider the terms of International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans to ensure sound economic management. “The government must adopt prudent measures to safeguard the economy instead of succumbing to harsh loan conditions.” TCB products to be available without family card In response to journalists' questions, Hossain cautioned against conflating the spirit of the Liberation War of 1971 with the Constitution of 1972, a stance he claimed is perpetuated by some political parties. On the next national election, the JNC criticised calls for expedited national polls, arguing that such demands disregard public interests.  The committee suggested that simultaneous national and local government elections could be conducted if the authorities so desired, her added.