The National Citizen Party (NCP) has been plunged into a profound internal crisis following the decision of Joint Convenor Nusrat Tabassum to withdraw from all organisational activities. In a stinging public rebuke, Ms Tabassum accused the party’s central leadership of “betraying” both the grassroots supporters and the core ideological foundations of the party by entering into an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami. Her announcement, made via a social media post on Sunday night, 28th December, comes at a critical juncture as the student-led party prepares for its first major electoral test.
Ms Tabassum, a prominent figure in the movement that rose from the July Uprising, expressed her deep disillusionment with the party’s recent strategic shifts. She noted that the NCP was founded on the vision of “balanced democracy, a new political settlement, and an inclusive, Bangladesh-centric philosophy.” To her, these were not merely political buzzwords but the very heartbeat of her political identity. She argued that the party’s original literature and manifesto explicitly championed a “middle-path” moderate stance—a vision she believes has been irrevocably compromised by the recent 10-party coalition agreement.
The primary point of contention involves the NCP leadership’s decision to join a conditional alliance with various parties, most notably the Islamist organisation Jamaat-e-Islami. Tabassum highlighted that the party’s high command, including the Convenor, had repeatedly pledged to field independent candidates in all 300 parliamentary seats. By pivotally shifting to a coalition model, she contends that the leadership has effectively deceived the grassroots organisers and the numerous candidates who had already invested resources in seeking nominations under the NCP banner.
Overview of the NCP Internal Crisis
| Contention Category | Details of the Dispute |
| Leading Dissident | Nusrat Tabassum (Joint Convenor) |
| Primary Cause | Alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami and 9 others |
| Key Allegation | “Probonchona” (Betrayal) of grassroots and nominees |
| Ideological Conflict | Departure from centrist and “Bangladesh-centric” values |
| Status of Action | Deactivation from all party activities during the election |
| Wider Context | Follows the resignation of several other senior leaders |
This high-profile withdrawal is not an isolated incident; it follows reports of a wider rebellion within the party’s ranks, with dozens of leaders reportedly signing a memorandum against the alliance. As it stands, Nusrat Tabassum has declared herself “inactive” for the duration of the election period, stating that her future within the organisation remains under review. This move has left the NCP leadership facing a significant legitimacy crisis, as it struggles to reconcile its image as a reformist, student-led movement with the realities of traditional coalition politics.