Aftermath of Jamaat ties: NCP failing to bring back leaders who left

Leaders, who recently resigned from NCP in protest against the party’s alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, are standing firm on their decision, rejecting recent overtures from the party leadership to bring them back into the fold.

While the NCP top brass claims to be in talks with the leaders, the latter have termed these efforts ineffective and stated that they would only consider returning if the party severs its ties with Jamaat.

As of yesterday, at least 15 top and middle-ranking leaders, including former senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara and former joint convener Khaled Saifullah, have resigned, while six others withdrew their candidacies ahead of the upcoming national election.

Besides, Senior Joint Convener Samanta Sharmeen and Joint Member Secretary Nahida Sarwar Niva, who did not officially step down from the party, remain inactive in party activities following NCP’s ties with Jamaat.

NCP Spokesperson Asif Mahmud told The Daily Star, “We are trying to bring the leaders back into the party and are talking to them.”

They did not leave the party merely out of disappointment, he said, adding that there were other underlying issues, which is why it would take time.

However, the leaders who left dismissed the claims as “false and fabricated”, alleging that the leadership is using this narrative to mislead the people and party supporters before the polls.

At least five former leaders told this newspaper that although NCP Convener Nahid Islam, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, and Asif Mahmud made calls, no strong initiative had been taken to address their core ideological concerns.

Former joint convener Khaled Saifullah denied any such engagements and told this correspondent, “I have not been in contact with anyone responsible for my return to the party.”

Dissident leaders described the process of joining the Jamaat-led alliance as undemocratic and premeditated. One leader, seeking anonymity, called it a “bad deal” and that they had opposed it from the very beginning.

According to him, NCP top brass announced a meeting on December 24 via the executive committee’s WhatsApp group to discuss election strategy as well as the alliance. Around 40 members attended, but many who opposed forging the alliance were absent at the meeting.

“As a result, all those present except two or three opined in favour of the alliance. The decision was implemented by showing a majority among those present,” said a leader familiar with the proceedings.

Another leader claimed that the path to the alliance became easier for the top leadership following the death of Inqilab Moncho spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.

Former NCP ICT cell head Farhad Alam Bhuiyan said, “I was not associated with any political party before. But after the mass uprising, I joined the NCP and contributed to their IT for one and a half years.”

“But when I saw the process of allying with the leadership of Jamaat, I immediately opposed it through a note of dissent and was the first to resign. I did not want to be a part of the so-called politics.”

Regarding the pressure to return, Farhad said, “The party top leaders have contacted me and urged me to return. However, I have made it clear that I will not return unless the NCP severs ties with Jamaat.”

Sources said the NCP had scheduled an internal meeting with the leaders who had resigned to discuss their reinstatement. However, within minutes of the schedule being set, the announcement leaked outside party circles. As a result, the meeting was abruptly cancelled.

The party leadership, however, said the door remains open for the leaders to return. 

NCP, founded in February last year by frontline activists of the July uprising, has seen many of its leaders part ways over various issues.