A youth-led political party that emerged from Bangladesh 2024 mass uprising is now confronting deep internal conflict, after agreeing to form an election partnership with the Islamist organization Jamaat-e-Islami. Analysts warn the move could weaken the party’s identity, divide its supporters, and ultimately strengthen more established political rivals.
More than 30 high-ranking members of the National Citizen Party (NCP) publicly rejected the alliance on Sunday, with some stepping down from their roles as a form of protest. Bangladesh is set to hold national elections on February 12, 2025.
Party Identity Under Pressure
The NCP has positioned itself as a political alternative led by Generation Z activists, with goals centered on political reform, fairness, and a break from traditional party dominance. However, critics say the latest alliance has created uncertainty inside the party.
Academic H.M. Nazmul Alam noted that the party’s core message — built on youth activism — is now facing a critical test.
“Movements rooted in young voices don’t fail just because of elections,” Alam said. “They break when they lose direction, transparency, and shared purpose.”
A Competitive Election Landscape
Recent polling projections suggested that Jamaat-e-Islami could place second in the upcoming vote, behind the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The NCP has trailed behind both major parties, sitting in third place before the agreement was announced.
Jamaat-e-Islami had previously been barred from elections for years due to constitutional conflicts with Bangladesh’s secular political framework. Those restrictions were lifted in August 2024 by the interim government headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Justifying the Alliance
NCP leader Nahid Islam (27) defended the decision in a press briefing, calling the agreement a strategy to preserve stability and resist political violence.
“We must protect the election process from disruption,” Nahid said. “This agreement reflects the choice of most party leaders, even if not everyone agrees. Members are free to decide their own path.”
Nahid also admitted that the party remains organizationally young, with limited funding and still-forming policy positions — including on issues related to women and minority communities.
Senior Resignations Add to Uncertainty
One of the most notable resignations came from Dr. Tasnim Jara, a former NCP senior leader who left her medical career in the United Kingdom to join the political movement. She has now begun collecting voter support to qualify as an independent election candidate.
“I committed to building a new political culture here,” Jara wrote in a public Facebook post. “I will continue honoring that promise.”
Analysts Predict a Risky Political Turn
Political professor Asif Shahan from the University of Dhaka expressed concern that the alliance may dilute the NCP’s ideological stance.
“This partnership benefits Jamaat far more than NCP,” Shahan said. “It provides them broader appeal, while NCP loses its middle-ground voice. The party’s ideas may disappear into the shadow of its partner.”