Bangladesh student-led party forms alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of polls

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s student-led National Citizen Party, formed out of the protest movement that toppled former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, has announced an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami ahead of February’s parliamentary election, triggering internal dissent and resignations within the party.

The NCP, which has positioned itself as a centrist and reformist alternative to entrenched two-party politics, confirmed the alliance on Sunday. Party chief Nahid Islam said the decision was taken in the interest of greater political unity, adding that the final list of joint candidates would be announced on Monday. Other senior party figures described the move as a pragmatic response to a fragmented political landscape as the election approaches.

However, the alliance has exposed deep rifts within the NCP. Tasnim Jara, a medical doctor who left a career in Britain to join the party and rose to a leadership position, resigned on Saturday, announcing she would contest the election as an independent candidate. Several other members have also stepped down in protest.

Critics argue the partnership contradicts the student-led party’s founding ideals. “The moral support I had for the NCP will no longer exist due to this ideological mismatch,” said a university student supporter, requesting anonymity.

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The development comes as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party regains political momentum. The BNP, linked to former prime minister Khaleda Zia and effectively led by her son Tarique Rahman, has strengthened its position following Rahman’s return after nearly 17 years in exile.

The February 12 general election will be held under an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who assumed office after Hasina’s removal and is widely viewed as central to restoring political stability after nearly two years of unrest.