United News of Bangladesh

National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam on Tuesday warned the Election Commission (EC) and demanded punishment over the harassment of Nasiruddin Patwary, Jamaat-backed alliance candidate for Dhaka-8 and NCP’s chief coordinator, during electioneering in the city. The incident took place at Habibullah Bahar College in Circuit House Road while Nasiruddin was campaigning.  He was allegedly obstructed at the college gate, faced scuffles and was later humiliated as eggs were thrown at him. Addressing an emergency press conference at Fakirapool after the incident, Nahid Islam alleged that identified activists of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal carried out the attack “on the instructions of Mirza Abbas and with the consent of Tarique Rahman.” “We want to warn the Election Commission and ask how it will act against this attack, what steps the college administration will take and what position the BNP will take as a party,” Nahid said. BNP 'practiced' polling booth capture in attacking NCP's Dhaka-18 candidate: Hasnat  Referring to BNP leader Mirza Abbas, Nahid said if such conduct continues, it will not end well in the election. “An election is a battle of words. You speak, we speak and the people decide. Why are you not allowing people to decide? On February 12, people will determine who is arrogant, who is a gangster, who is a terrorist and who speaks for the people.” Nahid also criticised BNP for repeatedly raising Jamaat’s past, saying people have not forgotten BNP’s own record, particularly the period from 2001 to 2006. “If politics is discussed based on the past, we too will speak about everyone’s past.” Speaking at the press conference, Nasiruddin Patwary said BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman must decide whether he will continue to patronise 'terrorists' within the party or take disciplinary action against them. Nasiruddin demanded the expulsion of Mirza Abbas from BNP on charges of violating party discipline. “Win or lose, I will not allow a reign of terror in Dhaka-8. This is my commitment. On February 12, people will deliver their verdict against terrorism and corruption through their votes.” ‘BNP activists shouldn’t be afraid, we’ll give you shelter’: Nasiruddin Patwari According to NCP, Nasiruddin was present at Habibullah Bahar College as an invited guest at a programme when he was initially obstructed at the gate, followed by scuffles that culminated in the egg-throwing incident. NCP strongly condemned the incident and issued an immediate statement demanding accountability.

National Citizen Party (NCP) unveiled its election theme song at Shahbagh on Saturday, with party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain leading the ceremony. Speaking at the event, Asif Mahmud said, “We chose Shahbagh because it is where our political journey began and grew. That is why we launched the theme song right here, in the street.” Highlighting the inclusive nature of the song, he added, “This theme song is for ordinary people from all walks of life, not for celebrities in five-star venues. It represents hard working citizens, including members of marginalized communities. We do not want to go to places where these people cannot even enter.” NCP officially launches election campaign from Dhaka University Asif explained that through the theme song they aimed to introduce the party, outline their election vision, and familiarize people with the Shapla Kali motif. NCP has made every effort to ensure a quality output and hoped that everyone would enjoy it, he added. NCP joint convener Monira Sharmin, NCP's National Youth chief Tarikul Islam, and leaders and activists from various party units attended the event.

NCP convener Nahid Islam warned that loan defaulters should not be allowed into power, saying they would plunder the country rather than repay debts if elected to parliament. Speaking at a public gathering organized by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami for Dhaka-15 constituency, Nahid said, “The people of Bangladesh do not want to witness looting. We will not let looters come to power, and the people will not either.” Addressing the city’s low-income and underprivileged residents, he said a political party promised flats to slum dwellers, but they actually seek a safe life, which is possible even in slum areas. He alleged that past attempts to provide flats ended in eviction after elections, and now the slum dwellers recognize these as empty promises. “They will vote not for flats but for justice and the nation’s interest.” Read more: NCP officially launches election campaign from Dhaka University Criticizing BNP’s promised family card scheme, Nahid questioned its feasibility, asking, “Who will actually receive the 2,000-3,000 Taka cards? Will the genuinely needy get them, or will they have to pay a bribe of 1,000 Taka?” He accused a major political party of nominating loan defaulters, saying the party is simultaneously offering family cards while trying to bring debtors to parliament to carry out looting. Nahid also urged the Election Commission to ensure a fair and transparent election, warning against giving undue advantage to any party. “The commission must act impartially. We are still active on the ground and will not tolerate injustice.” Read more: Feb-12 polls must be fair, with no room for bias: Prof Yunus Calling the upcoming election more than just a contest between rivals, he appealed for a ‘Yes’ vote in the national referendum. “We must vote yes to reject discrimination, extortion, injustice, oppression, and authoritarianism. The fight against fascism and exploitation must continue.” Speaking on behalf of the 10-party alliance led by Jamaat, Nahid urged city residents to vote for the coalition’s candidates, adding, “Cast your vote at Dariapalla and Shapla Kali; ensure the victory of our 10-party alliance candidates.”

The National Citizen Party (NCP) officially kicked off its election campaign on Thursday afternoon by paying respect at the graves of the Three National Leaders, Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy, Khawaja Nazimuddin, and Sher-e-Bangla A.K. Fazlul Huq, located near Doel Chattar of Dhaka University. Following this, party leaders visited the graves of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and Osman Hadi, situated adjacent to the Dhaka University Central Mosque. The event was attended by the NCP Convener Nahid Islam, as well as Nasir Uddin Patwari, a candidate for the Dhaka-8 constituency. Speaking at the venue, Nahid Islam noted that Dhaka University was the starting point for the Language Movement, the Liberation War, and the mass uprising of 2024. Consequently, the NCP chose this historic site to begin its electoral journey. Ameer-e-Jamaat launches campaign for Dhaka-15 in Mirpur "We want the election to be held on February 12 at any cost," Nahid Islam stated. "Our sole agenda now is to win that election and represent the people in Parliament." He further alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is failing to maintain neutrality under the current government’s influence. "We have repeatedly pointed out that the Commission is not acting impartially. They are granting special privileges to a particular party. While that party has been campaigning for several days despite it being against the rules, the EC served us a show-cause notice for campaigning in favor of a referendum. We demand true neutrality, yet we are determined to move forward regardless of these obstacles." Nahid Islam emphasized that the NCP remains as steadfast regarding elections and referendums as it has been regarding reforms and justice. "We will do whatever is necessary to ensure a fair election on February 12. We expect the 10-party electoral alliance to win by a landslide and form the government," he added. He asserted that the general public is with them and that there is no alternative to a victory for the 10-party alliance to carry forward the spirit of the July uprising and the momentum of national reform. Urging the nation to support the alliance, he said, "We have 30 candidates across the country. I call upon the people to elect them under the 'Shaplakoli' symbol. In Parliament, the NCP and the 10-party alliance will be the voice of the common people, the mass uprising, national reform, and our country's sovereignty."

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday said it is the responsibility of all stakeholders - the government, the Election Commission, and political parties - to ensure that the election scheduled for February 12 is held in a ‘fair and festive’ atmosphere. “I seek the cooperation of all political parties in this regard,” he said when a delegation of National Citizen Party (NCP) met him at the state guesthouse Jamuna in the evening. NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Central Election Steering Committee Chairman Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan, Secretary Monira Sharmin, and Head of the Legal Assistance Subcommittee Zahirul Islam Musa. Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki and Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant for ICT Faiz Ahmed Taiyeb were present at the meeting. During the meeting, the NCP leaders shared their observations and raised various concerns regarding the election. NCP delegation to meet CA Prof Yunus this afternoon They said NCP leaders and activists from all walks of life are campaigning for a ‘Yes’ vote in the referendum, said the Chief Adviser’s press wing. They also drew the Chief Adviser’s attention to several election-related issues and urged the government to be vocal in ensuring a level playing field in the polls.

National Citizen Party (NCP) on Monday announced the launch of a centrally managed crowdfunding initiative ahead of the 13th national parliamentary election, seeking financial support directly from the public. Speaking at a press conference at the party’s temporary office in Banglamotor, NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said the party does not want to rely on money from loan defaulters or business groups to enter parliament. “We do not want to go to parliament with money from loan defaulters or businessmen. We want to go to parliament with the people’s money and remain accountable to the people,” Asif said. He said although NCP candidates had earlier raised election funds individually, the party has now decided to introduce a centralised crowdfunding system through a designated website. Donors will be able to contribute either to the party as a whole or to individual candidates. Asif said contributions will start from a minimum of Tk 10, allowing people to donate according to their capacity. “Those who can afford more may give more, but we have no intention of taking large sums from a single individual. We want broader public participation.” The funds would be disclosed to the public through annual audits. “Unlike the BNP, we will not contest elections with thousands of crores of taka from loan defaulters. We have only a handful of wealthy candidates. Our core principle is accountability,” Asif added. When asked whether the donated funds would be returned if the NCP ultimately decides not to take part in the election, Asif declined to comment, saying no final decision has been made yet. “We wanted to bring the Election Commission under accountability. If that does not happen, we will take a considered decision.” Rejecting allegations of corruption against him, Asif challenged his accusers to prove their claims. “If anyone can prove that I am corrupt, I will accept whatever punishment is imposed.” If, he added, corruption by a powerful party like the Awami League can come to light, proving allegations against him would not be difficult if they were true. Asif also warned that what he described as ‘false’ corruption allegations could be brought against NCP leaders in the coming days and urged party members to remain cautious.

A four-member delegation of the National Citizen Party (NCP) is scheduled to meet Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Monday afternoon. In a media release, the NCP said the meeting will take place at 5:00pm at the State Guest House Jamuna. The delegation, led by NCP Convener Nahid Islam, will include Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan, chairman of the party’s Election Steering Committee, Secretary Monira Sharmin, and Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa, head of the committee’s legal support subcommittee. According to the party, discussions during the meeting will focus on what it described as the Election Commission’s partisan conduct and the overall current election situation. Earlier on Sunday night, Asif Mahmud told an emergency press conference that the NCP would reconsider whether to participate in the upcoming parliamentary election due to the Election Commission’s alleged biased behaviour. NCP reconsiders election participation over ‘one-sided’ EC decisions: Asif Mahmud On the same day, the Election Commission issued show-cause notices to Nahid Islam and Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari over alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct. The NCP, however, claimed that Nahid and Nasir were campaigning for the referendum and that such activities do not constitute a breach of election rules.

National Citizen Party (NCP) reconsiders whether it should participate in the upcoming national election, citing what it described as one-sided decisions by the Election Commission (EC), party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said on Sunday (January 18, 2026). Speaking at an emergency press conference at the party’s makeshift office at Banglamotor on the final day of appeal hearings, Asif said the prevailing situation has prompted the party to reassess its electoral stance. “Given the current circumstances, we believe the time has come to reconsider whether we should take part in this national election. We will review the matter of participating or not participating in the election," he said.  Asif, who is also the chairman of NCP’s central election management committee, said no final decision has been taken yet. NCP accuses EC officials of bias ahead of election The issue will be discussed at the party’s political council and also within its 10-party alliance, after which the party will announce its position, Asif said.  He alleged that the Election Commission has lost public confidence, saying it failed to gain the trust of political parties and voters required to conduct a credible election. “If the electoral process continues in this manner, we fear the EC will not be able to deliver a free and fair election in Bangladesh.” Asif criticised the EC for what he termed unilateral decisions allowing candidates with dual citizenship and loan defaulters to contest the polls, claiming such moves undermine electoral integrity. He also alleged that incidents outside the EC on the final day of appeal hearings were orchestrated, accusing the student wing of a major political party of creating a 'mob' situation. “On the last day of appeals, there is a mob outside, while their secretary general is meeting the commission inside. These are all staged dramas.” Asif said NCP will continue its legal battle and consult its alliance partners before announcing further programmes. Meanwhile, despite expressing uncertainty over participation in the election, NCP on the same day announced the formation of a political liaison sub-committee to accelerate the work of its central election management committee ahead of the national election. Read more: EC revokes candidacy of BNP’s Munshi, upholds NCP’s Hasnat in Cumilla-4 The ten-member committee has been formed with Akram Hossain as its head and Faisal Mahmud as secretary, tasked with strengthening coordination and boosting the party’s election-related activities.

The Election Commission (EC) on Saturday (January 17, 2026) cancelled the candidacy of BNP’s Monzurul Ahsan Munshi and upheld that of National Citizen Party (NCP) candidate Abul Hasnat, popularly known as Hasnat Abdullah, in Cumilla-4. The decision came after the EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, heard appeal petitions filed by both candidates against each other. The orders were issued in the afternoon. The EC accepted the appeal filed by Hasnat canceling the candidature of Monzurul Ahsan, but turned down the appeal filed by Monzurul Ahsan, declaring the candidacy of Hasnat valid in the upcoming national election scheduled for February-12. Free, fearless media vital to Bangladesh democracy: Journalists Munshi, in his petition, alleged that Hasnat did not mention the sources of his income rightly in the affidavit submitted with the nomination paper. Hasnat in his appeal alleged that Munshi is a loan defaulter and concealed the information in the nomination paper. The EC that acts the electoral appeal tribunal started hearing of the appeal on Saturday last (January 10) and will dispose of a total of 645 petitions by Sunday (January 18). The EC on Saturday last (January 10) started hearing of the appeal petitions filed by aggrieved persons and organisations against the decisions of the returning officers over the acceptance and cancellations of nomination papers during the scrutiny. According to the EC, a total of 2,568 aspirants submitted nomination papers to contest the upcoming national election from the country’s 300 constituencies by the December 29 deadline. Read more: NCP accuses EC officials of bias ahead of election After scrutiny, returning officers declared 1,842 nomination papers valid and rejected 723 others.

Independent candidate Tasnim Jara has regained the validity of her nomination for the Dhaka-9 constituency in the 13th national parliamentary election after her appeal was accepted by the Election Commission on Saturday. Her nomination was earlier declared invalid during the preliminary scrutiny phase. However, following a hearing on appeals seeking validation of candidacies at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Jara’s nomination was reinstated, clearing the way for her to contest the election as an independent candidate. Read More:  Tasnim Jara calls for easier election process for independent candidates Reacting immediately after the decision, Jara thanked the Election Commission for accepting her appeal. She also expressed gratitude to supporters at home and abroad who stood by her over the past few days. Jara said she has initially expressed her intention to contest the election with the football as her electoral symbol, adding that the final decision on the symbol rests with the Commission. Earlier, on January 3, the district returning officer announced after scrutiny that discrepancies were found in the signatures of voters supporting Jara’s nomination, which is mandatory for independent candidates. Of the signatures verified, two were found not to be voters of the Dhaka-9 constituency. Citing electoral rules, the returning officer had declared her nomination invalid. Commenting on the issue at the time, Jara said many voters are unaware of their voter numbers or specific constituencies, and technical problems in the Commission’s voter verification systems led to the discrepancies. She had then announced her decision to appeal against the ruling. Following the appeal hearing, Jara ultimately regained the validity of her candidacy for the Dhaka-9 seat. Read More: Tasnim Jara’s Dhaka-9 nomination scrapped, plans to appeal Initially, she was set to contest the election as a candidate of the National Citizen Party (NCP). However, after the party joined an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and like-minded groups, Jara resigned from the party and announced her decision to run as an independent candidate. In Dhaka-9, Jara will face BNP candidate Habibur Rashid Habib and NCP candidate Javed Rasin.