The leadership dispute within the newly formed National Citizens’ Party (NCP), led by young leaders of the uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina, has been resolved. To accommodate all factions, the party expanded its top positions, uniting various groups under one umbrella. NCP will officially launch today, Friday, with a gathering at Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka.

Nahid Islam, who resigned as an advisor from the interim government, will serve as the party’s convener, while Akhtar Hossain has been chosen as the member secretary after negotiations among multiple aspirants. Although four former leaders of Islami Chhatra Shibir have opted out, the party includes activists from the National Citizens’ Committee (Janak), the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, and various left-leaning groups. Akhtar Hossain emphasized that NCP will be an inclusive democratic party, without excluding former Shibir members.

To resolve disagreements, new positions such as chief coordinator and joint coordinator have been created, along with an additional key organizer role. Following several rounds of meetings, Muhammad Nasiruddin Patwari was named chief coordinator, Shamanta Sharmin as senior joint convener, while Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam were confirmed as key organizers. Abdul Hannan Masud was appointed joint coordinator, and Saleh Uddin Sifat as office secretary. Their names will be officially announced at the launch event.

The senior joint member secretary position remains undecided, with multiple candidates including Dr. Tasnim Zara, Nahida Sarwar Niva, and Monira Sharmin. Additionally, Ariful Islam Adib and Nusrat Tabassum have shown interest. The 150-member convening committee is expected to be finalized soon.

Recently, tensions flared over leadership positions within the Democratic Student Union, leading to clashes. Students from private universities, national universities, and madrassas expressed frustration that Dhaka University students occupied most top roles despite their sacrifices during the uprising. NCP leaders are taking measures to prevent similar conflicts at the launch event, ensuring inclusivity for leaders outside Dhaka.

The party is expected to release a 24-point declaration, addressing key issues like education, healthcare, economy, and employment. It will also outline why previous political parties failed and what led to the 2024 uprising.

There were concerns about the party being a covert wing of Jamaat-e-Islami due to the involvement of former Shibir leaders. However, NCP leaders rejected this claim, stating the party upholds the spirit of the 2024 uprising, focusing on national interests rather than ideological divisions. Saleh Uddin Sifat stressed that NCP seeks systemic reform, advocating for a new constitution and a national assembly to prevent cycles of authoritarianism.

Efforts are ongoing to bring back two key former Shibir leaders, Zunaid and Rafe Salman, who had distanced themselves from the party due to leadership disputes. Akhtar Hossain confirmed ongoing discussions to reintegrate them.

NCP aims for a major turnout at its launch event at 3 PM, inviting opposition parties, diplomats, and notable figures, including chief advisor Dr. Muhammad Yunus. However, to avoid controversy, none of the interim government’s advisors will attend. Invitations were sent to BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and 36 allied parties, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Meanwhile, ousted Awami League leaders, its allies, and the Jatiya Party were deliberately excluded from the event.