Dhaka: National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam today declared that no efforts to revive Awami League-style politics would be permitted in Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of preserving democratic values and fostering a fair political atmosphere in the post-uprising era. “We do not want a situation where eggs are thrown at candidates of one party today and at candidates of another party tomorrow. Silence from the Election Commission and the police administration is creating uncertainty,” he stated during a press conference at the party’s Fakirapul office in the Dhaka-8 constituency.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Nahid Islam claimed that Nasiruddin Patwary, the chief coordinator of the NCP, faced obstruction and was pelted with bricks and stones when he attended Habibullah Bahar College as an invited guest. He also reported that Ariful Islam Adib, an NCP candidate in the Dhaka-18 constituency, had been previously attacked.
He further alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami women activists had been targeted in several districts recently, asserting that a particular party was gaining undue electoral advantage by violating the code of conduct amid administrative inaction, thus undermining a level playing field.
Referring to the post-uprising political context, Nahid Islam highlighted that the mass movement had paved the way for establishing a new political culture rooted in accountability and democratic practices. He emphasized that political forces should have sought public forgiveness for past transgressions following the uprising and started afresh, indicating that selective historical references would not aid democratic stability.
The NCP convener expressed that his party was focused on ensuring a free, fair, and neutral election, rather than dwelling on past issues. Referring to democratic movements in Dhaka, he stressed that the pursuit of voting rights and democracy must proceed through peaceful and constitutional means.
Describing recent incidents as unfortunate, he pointed out that denying such events was even more regrettable. He accused identified activists of being involved in the attacks and urged the authorities to act responsibly. Nahid Islam further criticized the practice of preaching democracy publicly while simultaneously suppressing political opponents through violence, asserting that the people of post-uprising Bangladesh would not tolerate any form of political intimidation.
Earlier, Nasiruddin Patwary, the NCP’s Dhaka-8 candidate under the 11-party alliance, was targeted in an egg attack during an event in Dhaka’s Ramna area around noon. The incident took place at Habibullah Bahar College around 12:15 pm when he arrived to attend a ‘Pitha Utsob’ program.