Key organizers of last year’s student-led uprising in Bangladesh have launched a new political party, setting the stage for an intense electoral battle in the South Asian nation, which is expected to hold polls by December.
Nahid Islam, who played a crucial role in mobilizing protesters and forcing Bangladesh’s then-prime minister to flee Bangladesh last August, will lead the National Citizen Party.
The formation of the party comes during a turbulent time in Bangladesh. After the ouster of former leader Sheikh Hasina, who held her position for 15 years, Nobel Prize-winning economist Muhammad Yunus stepped into the leadership vacuum. His interim government has tried to stabilize the country of nearly 170 million people, but flareups of violence have become common and the economy is struggling.
Yunus recently said Bangladesh will hold a national election between the end of 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Having an elected government in place is key for Bangladesh. To shore up foreign exchange reserves, the country is seeking more funds from creditor countries like China and the International Monetary Fund.
This week, Islam, 27, resigned from his posts in the interim government. Over the past six months, he headed two ministries and was instrumental in advocating for a corruption-free Bangladesh.
“To strengthen the students who have participated in the mass uprising, I have realized my role will be more impactful on the streets than within the government,” Islam said after submitting his resignation letter to Yunus.
On Friday, Islam spoke about the goals of the National Citizen Party at a venue near the parliament building in Dhaka. He was accompanied by other leaders, including Akhter Hossen, the member secretary.
“This will be a party founded on democratic principles, equality, and true representation of the people,” Islam said in his speech. The NCP will work to build “a self-reliant national economy with a balanced focus on agriculture, the service sector, and industry — one that is free from income discrimination and sensitive to both life and nature,” he said.
While the new party wields significant influence within Yunus’s administration, its leaders still face a formidable rival. Bangladesh Nationalist Party, the main opposition when Hasina was in power, has a strong nationwide following and is expected to perform well in the national election.