The National Citizen Party (, NCP) is a centrist political party in Bangladesh.
The NCP was formed in February 2025 following the July Uprising and positions itself as a youth-led, progressive, and "Bangladeshpontha" (Bangladesh-centric) party. The party's key figures include Nahid Islam, Akhter Hossen, Asif Mahmud, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Nasiruddin Patwary, some of whom became the world's first Gen Z protest leaders to have been elected as Member of Parliament.Daily Sun. “5 Gen Z Leaders to Enter Jatiya Sangsad.” February 14, 2026.South China Morning Post. “Bangladesh Gen Z Ousted an Authoritarian Regime, but Can They Secure a Place in the New Government?” February 8, 2026.Star Online Report, “Hasnat Abdullah Takes Oath Wearing ‘Historic’ Jersey from July Uprising,” The Daily Star, February 17, 2026
The NCP positions itself against extremism, pro-Pakistan, and extreme Awami League or pro-India ideologies. In contrast, it supports moderate, nationalist, and centrist policies. It is recognized as the third-largest middle-ground party after the BNP. Initiated by the Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, it was established on 28 February 2025 as the first student-led political party in the history of Bangladesh. It was established in the Aftermath of the July uprising.
After the fall of the Awami League government following the July Uprising, a manifesto by the leadership of the Students Against Discrimination mentioned the idea of a new political arrangement. Subsequently, in September, the Jatiya Nagorik Committee was formed, and efforts were made to establish committees in every upazila across Bangladesh. In February 2025, the Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee finalized the formation of a new political party, which was formed on 28 February 2025, with Nahid Islam as its convener.
On 28 December 2025, the NCP joined the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami-led 11 Party Alliance ahead of the 2026 Bangladeshi general election.
Though self-describing as centrist and pluralist, the party does not confess any unified ideology, thus allowing many factions to function. The party campaigns for a "second republic" and a new constitution.
History Background
A faction of the Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad, which led the 2018 Bangladesh quota reform movement, split from the group and formed a student organization called Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti on October 2, 2023. In 2024, alongside most student organizations in Bangladesh, the leaders of Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti joined a non-partisan political platform named the Students Against Discrimination, participating in the 2024 Bangladesh quota reform movement and 2024 Non-cooperation movement. The members of this new student organization played a leading role in these movements. On August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina, the President of the Awami League, resigned from the position of Prime Minister and fled to India, leading to the fall of her government. After the success of the uprising, rumors spread that the Students Against Discrimination was going to form a new political party. However, on August 16, the organization's central coordinator and advisor to the interim government, Nahid Islam, dismissed these rumors, stating that there were no plans to form a party at the moment, and that their organization was focused on implementing a new political arrangement as per their proposed manifesto.
On September 8, the Jatiya Nagorik Committee was established under the leadership of Akhter Hossen, convener of Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti, and Nasiruddin Patwary, with the aim of restructuring the country. On September 14, 2024, Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti was dissolved. The announcement of the dissolution, following the upheaval, led to speculations that the organization's leaders would enter politics. On the other hand, a source within the organization revealed that the key leaders of Gonotantrik Chhatra Shakti were working towards forming a political party. However, on October 25, the central coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination and main organizer of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, Sarjis Alam, stated that forming a new political party immediately after the uprising would cause division within the country. He mentioned that while they had the right to form a political party, it could be done in the future under a different platform and name. On October 27, Asif Mahmud, the central coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination and advisor to the interim government, labeled the rumors of a new party as propaganda, stating that "now is not the time to form a party."
In November 2024, Sarjis Alam highlighted the need for more political parties in Bangladesh and left the decision of forming a new student-led political party to the people. In the same month, it was decided that after the formation of a political party by the Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, both organizations would not be dissolved. Instead, they would function as "pressure groups" for the new party, allowing their members to join the party without any formal affiliation to the organizations.
In December 2024, a survey published by the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development indicated that 40% of voters would support the new student-led party in the upcoming national elections. In December, a source revealed that the new party would be officially launched in February of the following year. It was also reported that committees would be formed in every police precinct across Bangladesh by January to support this goal.
Preparations
In January 2025, over a hundred names were proposed for the new party by the planners. On January 27, a public opinion poll released by the Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center revealed that young people were more interested in reforms within existing political parties than in the new political party. According to a report by Amar Desh newspaper, students at Dhaka University had positively accepted the idea of the new political party formed by the students involved in the uprising.
On 5 February, public opinion surveys regarding the new party began. In early February 2025, various sources indicated that Nahid Islam might be the proposed convener (leader) of the party. In the same month, the Students Against Discrimination and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee reached a final decision to form a new political party. According to reports from February 13, the final preparations for the formation of the party were ongoing. According to information provided by the leaders of the Nagorik Committee, the announcement of the formation of the political party was planned for between February 23–25. During a meeting of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, Akhter Hossen's name was tentatively finalized for the position of leader.
It has been reported that the announcement of the new political party's formation will take place at an event held either at Central Shaheed Minar or in front of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Manik Mia Avenue. The party's headquarters is planned to be established in Farmgate or Banani, Dhaka. According to Samanta Sharmin, the spokesperson of the Jatiya Nagorik Committee, an application for registration will be submitted to the Election Commission as soon as possible after the party's formation is announced. It was learned that, as part of its political activities to attract public attention, the party plans to organize a 15-day-long march from the home of martyr Abu Sayed in Rangpur who was killed in the July massacre to the home of another martyr, Wasim Akram, in Chattogram. However, considering that Ramadan is upcoming, this plan may be temporarily postponed.
By February 17, the final decision was made regarding who would occupy the nine positions in the new party. It was reported that Samantha Sharmin or Umama Fatema from the Students Against Discrimination could be selected for the position of spokesperson. On the same day, Nahid Islam announced that he would formally decide whether he would leave his advisory position and join the new party within the current week.
On February 19, it was revealed that discussions were being accelerated regarding the addition of Nurul Haque Nur from the Gono Odhikar Parishad to the new party, amid a dispute over the position of member secretary. He had expressed interest in either the role of convener or member secretary. However, the organizers of the new party preferred Nahid Islam as the convener, which led to the possibility of an alliance between the new party and Ganadhikar Parishad. According to an online survey conducted by Daily Ittefaq from February 17 to 19, Sarjis Alam had secured the top spot for the position of member secretary, surpassing Nasiruddin Patwary and Akhter Hossen. A source on February 20 indicated that the new party could be officially launched on the 26th. On February 21, it was reported that the number of positions in the new party would be increased to resolve conflicts over party roles. It was also revealed that former military personnel would join the new party, and the Jatiya Nagorik Committee was scheduled to meet with some of them on February 22. According to sources on February 22, while nine names were under consideration for the new party, English names were being prioritized. However, due to the number of candidates exceeding the number of positions, the organizers were under pressure to finalize the committee.
Establishment
The launch event of the new party was attended by the families of those injured and killed in the uprising and the July massacre, political party leaders, diplomats, and student coordinators of public and private universities who led the July uprising. Various political figures, including chief adviser Muhammad Yunus and former prime minister Khaleda Zia, were invited to the launch ceremony. The launch ceremony began at 4:20 pm on 28 February. After recitation from the Quran, Gita, Tripitaka, and Bible, the national anthem was sung. A minute of silence was then observed in memory of those killed in the July massacre. After showing documentaries, Mim Akhter, sister of victim Ismail Hossain Rabbi, who was killed in the July massacre, announced the launch of the party and announced the names of Nahid Islam as the convener and Akhter Hossen as the member secretary. Akhter Hossen then announced the names of the party's convening committee members. Then, as convener, Nahid Islam read out the manifesto of the National Citizen Party. 2025 leadership resignations In late December 2025, internal disputes over seat-sharing arrangements and alliance negotiations for the 2026 general election led to high-profile resignations from the party leadership. On 27 December, senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara resigned from the NCP, followed the next day by joint convener Tajnuva Jabeen.
In her resignation statement, Jabeen criticized the policy-making process behind the party's coalition with Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, citing frustration over an allocation where the NCP received only 30 constituencies out of 125 nominations compared to Jamaat's 70. Characterizing the process as a breach of trust rather than a purely ideological dispute, Jabeen withdrew from the election campaign and reaffirmed her commitment to building centrist political alternatives in Bangladesh.
Ideology