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The students of Bangladesh, who led the mass movement that overthrew Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule in August last year, formed a political party of their own with a massive rally in Dhaka on February 28.
Named Jatiya Nagorik Party (JNP) or the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), the new outfit pledged to build a “Second Republic” devoid of any trace of “fascism” and marked by equalitarianism, inclusivity, and non-exploitation.
To emphasise inclusivity, the rally began with recitations from the Quran, Gita, the Buddhist Tripitaka, and the Bible. Equally surprisingly, the Bangladesh national anthem, Amar Shonar Bangla (Our Golden Bengal) composed by Rabindranath Tagore was sung despite a call by the Jamaat-e-Islami to replace it.
Through recitations from the scriptures of various religions and singing Tagore’s Amar Shonar Bangla, the JNP hopes to refute the charge that it is a front for the Jamaat-e-Islami.
The JNP envisages a Bangladesh radically different from the First Republic founded by the Awami League leader and founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Utterance of his name or his title Bangabandhu (Friend of Bengal) or his slogan “Joy Bangla” (Victory to Bengal) is taboo for the JNP. In fact, it has been taboo in Bangladesh at the insistence of the student movement.
In August 2024, the Bangladesh judiciary had endorsed the Interim Government’s plea that “Joy Bangla” should cease to be the official slogan of the country. With the result, nobody raised the slogan “Joy Bangla” at Friday’s rally. Instead, the Urdu language “Inquilab Zindabad” (Victory to Revolution) rent the air.
Nahid Islam, convener of the party, declared at the rally that “Bangladesh’s political landscape will not accommodate pro-India or pro-Pakistan influences.”
He emphasized that the party aims to rebuild the State with a focus on national interests and the well-being of Bangladeshi citizens alone. “We want to talk about the future. We want to move beyond the past and discuss the possibilities of Bangladesh,” Nahid said.
The JNP released its manifesto at the rally. Here are excerpts -
“The July 2024 Mass uprising has marked the beginning of our struggle to establish a second republic. To achieve this, we must eliminate all possibilities of restoring constitutional autocracy through the adoption of a new democratic constitution.”
“One of our primary goals is to draft a new constitution through an elected constituent assembly. Our second republic will ensure a strong national defence system to protect the nation's interests. Rebuilding broken political, social, economic, and cultural institutions and preserving their democratic nature will be our political priority. Only through these efforts can we emerge as a fully democratic state.”
“We strive to cultivate a political culture where unity prevails over division, justice replaces vengeance, and merit and competence triumph over dynastic politics at all levels of society and the state. There will be no place for corruption and nepotism in our politics.”
“In our second republic, the voices of the marginalised and disadvantaged communities will be brought into the mainstream. In our republic, the common people—and only the common people—will be the supreme source of power. The robust protection of all their democratic and fundamental rights will be the core principle of our politics.”
“We aim to build a pluralistic and prosperous society by preserving the nation's ethnic, social, gender, religious, and cultural values and diversity.) Our republic will ensure strong protections against poverty, inequality, and the abuse of power.”
“No segment of Bangladesh's population will be excluded or criminalised in our second republic. Instead, every citizen will be given equal importance, and their safety and security will be guaranteed.”
“Economically, we aim to establish a self-sufficient, equitable, and sustainable national economy through the proper integration of agriculture, services, and production sectors. Our economy will be sensitive to life, nature, and the environment.”
“Wealth will not be concentrated in the hands of a select few; instead, the equitable redistribution of resources will be the core principle of our economic policies. We will take firm steps to regulate corporate syndicates and vested interests, safeguarding consumer and public welfare.”
“ We will position Bangladesh as a strong regional power through economic advancement, fostering regional cooperation and international partnerships. We will build a modern and sustainable economy prioritising science and technology and fostering an innovation-driven culture.”
“We strongly believe that the July 2024 mass uprising was not just a victory against a fascist regime but also a pledge to shape our future. Let us unite, hand in hand, to build a Bangladesh where every citizen's voice is heard—where the struggle for justice and human rights will be at the heart of politics—where equality and human dignity will form the foundation of the state.”
“Our country, our rights, our future—the second republic is not an unattainable dream. It is our solemn commitment!”
JNP’s Chief Organizer (Northern Region) Sarjis Alam said: “If we want to organize Bangladesh properly, all political parties must unite. Then, the future Bangladesh will be a Bangladesh of unity. Hasina has destroyed all institutions of this country. All political parties must unite to restore these institutions.”
“We must collectively ensure justice for the murderer Hasina. We should not go to police stations to seek the release of any criminals.”
“If the major political parties do not allow smaller parties to move forward, another autocracy may be established. We should learn this lesson from the murderer Hasina.”
“Let us come together, hand in hand, to build a Bangladesh where the voice of every citizen will resonate, where the struggle for justice and human rights will be at the core of politics, and where equality and human dignity will form the foundation of the state,” Sarjis said.
Leaders from various political parties, including Ganosamhati Andolon, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, the 12-party alliance, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Hefazat-e-Islam, the Labour Party, Jatiya Oikya Front, and the Nationalist Democratic Movement, attended the rally. Interestingly, the Ambassador of Pakistan, Syed Ahmed Maroof, was present but not the Indian envoy.
The party’s top ten leaders have been announced. Former information adviser Nahid Islam is the Convener, while Akhter Hossen is Member Secretary. Samanta Shermeen and Ariful Islam Adeeb have been chosen as Senior Joint Conveners, while Tasnim Jara and Nahida Sarwar (Nova) will be Senior Joint Member Secretaries.
Nasiruddin Patwary has been appointed chief coordinator, with Abdul Hannan Masud as joint coordinator. Additionally, Sarjis Alam will be the chief organizer for the northern region, while Hasnat Abdullah will be chief organiser of the southern region.
The JNP has the full backing of the Interim Government led by Prof.Muhammad Yunus who stated this in his interview to the British paper Financial Times. He said that the students had the right to form a party and pursue their goals, because they led the movement against autocracy.
The Jamaat-i-Islami is also a backer of the JNP because it needs an alliance to win seats in parliament. Like the JNP, the Jamaat too is virulently against the Awami League, Sheikh Mujib and Sheikh Hasina. Hasina had banned it. The Jamaat had to wait until Yunus formed a government to get the ban lifted.
Both JNP and Jamaat are not for immediate elections as they feel that the country’s structure and values should be reformed first before holding elections. And both want the Awami League and its legacy to be removed root and branch first before holding elections.
However, the JNP and the Jamaat will clash on the question of Sharia, women rights etc., because Bangladeshi students stand for women’s equal participation in all spheres of public activity including sports, while the Jamaat dubs all modernity as haram and has taken to disruption and attacks on modern women.
The other point of divergence between the JNP and the Jamaat is over relations with India. The JNP is realistic enough not to antagonise neighbouring India beyond a point. But the Jamaat is resolutely opposed to India on both religious and political grounds. It is anti-secular and pro-Pakistani to the core and envisages a day when Bangladesh and Pakistan become one again.
The Bangladesh National Party (BNP) is in a class of its own. It is secular even as it has had an alliance with the Jamaat in the past. Like the Jamaat, it has been very anti-Awami League. But like the Awami League, the BNP is a moderate party which believes in the electoral process. The BNP is not in favour of a ban on the Awami League, unlike the JNP or the Jamaat.
The BNP has had a difficult relationship with India because it identified India with the Awami League, Sheikh Mujib and Sheikh Hasina, its rivals for decades. But the BNP has had periods of good relations with India when India had fallen out with Hasina sometime in the 1990s.
The BNP is now cultivating the Hindu minority in Bangladesh as the latter is now leaderless given the fact that its protector, the Awami League, has been suppressed and marginalised.
The BNP wants early elections and vigorously disputes the prevailing theory that a new system should be put in place before elections are held. For the BNP, this is putting the cart before the horse, as only an elected parliament can draft an acceptable constitution.
Cover Photograph: New leader? Nahid Islam addresses massive students rally in Dhaka.
