Staff Reporter:
A new three-party political alliance named ‘Gonotantrik Songskar Jote’ (Democratic Reform Alliance) was launched yesterday with the spirit of the July 2024 mass uprising and prevent Bangladesh from re-turning to old politics.
The alliance brings together the National Citizen Party (NCP), Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) and the Rastro Songskar Andolan, aiming to contest the upcoming 13th national parliamentary election with a pledge to fulfill the aspirations for change that emerged after the July mass uprising.
The announcement was made by NCP Convener Nahid Islam at a press conference at the Dhaka Report-ers Unity (DRU) in Segagicha, where AB Party Chairman Mojibur Rahman Monju, Rastro Songskar Andolan President Hasnat Kaiyum and NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossain were also present.
Announcing the alliance, NCP Convener Nahid Islam said it began with three parties and would unite all forces of the July uprising under one symbol, welcoming any group aligned with the uprising’s spirit or committed to state reform.
NCP Convener Nahid Islam said, “Initially, the alliance has been formed with three parties. It is a politi-cal alliance. As the election approaches, the forces of the July uprising will contest under one symbol.”
“Any party aligned with the spirit of the July uprising or interested in state reform is welcome to join the alliance,” he added.
Nahid said the platform was born out of the people’s expectation for qualitative change after the 2024 mass uprising. “The ‘Gonotantrik Songskar Jote’ is not merely an electoral alliance; it is a political alli-ance formed to uphold national dignity and economic emancipation,” he said.
Nahid said the desire for a “New Bangladesh” created during the uprising had remained largely unful-filled due to resistance against reforms.
“Various forces directly and indirectly resisted the reform process under the Consensus Commission. We could not fully implement the expectations of the people, and that created frustration,” he said.
Nahid added, “Those of us who sincerely want reform have forged unity yesterday. This is just the be-ginning of the unity process. It will continue.”
He said the parties aligned with the reform agenda intend to take part in the next general election togeth-er. “We will not allow Bangladesh to return to the old political path. After August 5, we had promised Bangladesh would never be the same again,” he added.
Nahid mentioned that they had earlier tried to reach an understanding with the older political parties to carry out state reforms, but that was a “mistake”.
NCP leader also expressed concern over recent incidents of harassment of candidates in Barishal and Lakshmipur, warning that signs of “dominance and intimidation” were already emerging.
Rastro Songskar Andolan President Hasnat Kaiyum said Bangladesh’s past movements—from 1952 to 1990—demonstrated that political change was always secured through electoral endorsement after major uprisings.
Senior leaders of the three parties, including NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb, NCP Chief Organiser for norther region Sarjis Alam, Joint Member Secretary Advocate Abdul Al Amin, Ni-zam Uddin and Md Alauddin, and Rastro Songskar Andolan leaders Helaluddin, Khalid Hasan and Shahjahan Islam, were also present.
