The National Citizens Party on Friday unveiled a 36-point manifesto ahead of the 13th Jatiya Sangsad elections on February 12.

In the manifesto titled For Youth and Dignity, the party pledged a full implementation of the July National Charter 2025, justice for crimes committed during the Awami League regime, creating 1 crore decent jobs, lowering the voting age to 16, and reserving 100 directly elected seats for women, among others.

The party also promised to implement specialised health zones and national health insurance, continuation of investment-friendly business policies, dignity-based foreign policy, modernisation of national defence, and environmental protection.

NCP senior leaders unveiled the manifesto at a Dhaka hotel at Gulshan where representatives from other political parties, academics, and foreign delegates were present. 

Speaking at the programme, NCP convener Nahid Islam said, ‘As a partner of the 11-party electoral alliance, we will fulfill the ‘practical and implementable’ pledges, if our alliance is elected.’

He claimed that his party’s manifesto reflected people’s aspirations for justice, transparency, and a functional state.

The NCP manifesto promised exemplary justice for crimes against humanity, including the July massacre, Shapla Square crackdown, the BDR mutiny killings, enforced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.

If the NCP wins in the elections, the party promised that it would form a reconciliation commission for the Awami League-affiliated people who were innocent.

‘The formation of a reconciliation commission would not rehabilitate Awami fascism,’ Nahid said.

The NCP also pledged the formation of a special investigative cell under the National Human Rights Commission to address sectarian violence, minority persecution, and ethnic discrimination.

On governance reform, the NCP proposed mandatory publication of annual income and wealth statements of ministers, parliament members, and senior officials on a public ‘Hisaab Dao’ portal, along with detailed government expenditure records.

The party also pledged performance-based promotions in the bureaucracy through an independent promotions commission.

The manifesto included fixing the national minimum wage at Tk100 per hour, enforcing workplace safety insurance and pensions, six-month maternity leave and one-month paternity leave, and a half-day period leave a month for women workers.

The NCP convener, Nahid, also said that his party would bring down inflation to 6 per cent through independent regulators and accurate economic data.

The party aimed to create a Tk1 00 billion fund for women and youth entrepreneurs, cash-flow-based SME loans, tax exemptions for new businesses, and training for building 15 lakh skilled expatriate workers annually.

In education and health, the NCP pledged to nationalise 75 per cent of MPO-listed institutions within five years, introduce a separate pay structure for teachers, and make internships mandatory at the undergraduate level.

About health care, the party announced specialised healthcare zoness, a national health insurance scheme for lessening health subsidies of the government, GPS-tracked national ambulance system, and NID-based digital health records.

The party proposed expanding renewable energy to 25 per cent of electricity generation within five years.

On foreign policy, Nahid said that the party would take a firm stance on border killings, and focus on just share of trans-boundary river waters, Rohingya repatriation, and equal bilateral agreements.

His party, he said, would pursue regional integration and stress Bangladesh’s ASEAN membership.

The NCP manifesto promised the formation of an unmanned aerial vehicle brigade in the Bangladesh Army, and the acquisition of at least eight medium-range surface-to-air missile batteries in five years.

Moderated by Ehtesham Haque, other NCP central leaders including , Nusrat Tabassum,Gausul Azam, and Ishtiaq Akib elaborated the party’s issue-based promises.