Forty-five leaders from UP Bangladesh, Students Against Discrimination, and Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party joined National Citizen Party (NCP) today.

NCP Convener, Dhaka-11 lawmaker, and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam announced their joining at an emergency press conference held at the party’s central office in Dhaka’s Banglamotor this noon.

The new members were welcomed by NCP leaders at the programme.

Among the notable figures who joined the party are Rifat Rashid, former president of Students Against Discrimination; Barrister Sunny Abdul Haque, former general secretary of AB Party; Ali Hasan Junayed, president of UP Bangladesh, and Shehrin Sultana Ira, spokesperson of the party.

Nahid said responsibilities would be assigned to the new members by the afternoon.

He said the country now needs an alternative political force, alleging that the recent election had ignored both the referendum and the people’s verdict, while extortion, corruption, and violence were spreading across the country.

He said the struggle for a discrimination-free, democratic, and inclusive Bangladesh, which began during the mass uprising, must be carried through to completion.

“We were united in the anti-fascist struggle in July (2024). It is from that aspiration that the strength of the youth is now coming together again,” Nahid said.

“There is no alternative in Bangladesh to strengthening the NCP as the party of the youth and as the party that carries the spirit of the July mass uprising,” he added.

Nahid also alleged that state institutions were being politicised and the BNP government was undermining reform possibilities that had emerged through the referendum and the national consensus process.

“Through this election, only a BNP government has replaced the Awami League government,” he said.

Calling on leaders from other parties to join NCP, Nahid said a person’s previous political identity would not be the party’s main consideration, but those involved in fascism, genocide, support for genocide, or those accused of extortion, corruption, or terrorism would not be accepted.

“Whether someone came from Chhatra Dal, Chhatra Shibir, Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, or even Chhatra League is not the main issue for us. They will work as organisers and activists of the party, guided by NCP ideals,” he said.

NCP Spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain and Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam were also present at the press briefing.