Nahid Islam Says Changing Slogans Has Not Changed People’s Lives

Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and chief whip of the opposition in the Jatiya Sangsad, has said that political changes in the country have not improved the lives of ordinary people.

Speaking at an iftar and prayer gathering organized by the NCP’s Dhaka division at Friends Club field in Uttara on Friday afternoon, Nahid remarked that the closing slogans in official speeches may have changed, but the public’s situation remains the same.

Referring to Mohammed Shahabuddin, Nahid said the president previously ended speeches with the slogan “Joy Bangla,” but now concludes with “Bangladesh Zindabad.” According to him, this reflects a broader shift in the country’s political landscape where one party has simply replaced another without bringing meaningful change to citizens’ lives.

Nahid also criticized the current administration led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), claiming that incidents of violence against women and rape have increased since the party came to power. He alleged that a woman in Hatiya Upazila was assaulted after voting for the Shapla Koli symbol in the election.

He further said cases of abuse against women and sexual violence involving children are on the rise. Nahid criticized civil society groups and women’s rights activists for what he described as their silence on these issues. He added that the National Citizens Party would continue to speak out in support of people’s rights.

The event was also attended by NCP’s chief coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary, party spokesperson Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, and other leaders and activists from both central and Dhaka divisional units of the party.