NCP Announces 27 Candidates, Aims for Seats After Exit

National Citizen Party. photo: collected

The National Citizen Party (NCP) has unveiled its candidates for 27 constituencies, with party leaders indicating that the number could rise by at least five more as talks continue with the Jamaat-e-Islami-led 10-party alliance.

Following the exit of Islami Andolan Bangladesh from the alliance, the NCP said it is ultimately targeting around 40 seats.

From 17 to 18 January, the party released posters featuring candidates’ names and photographs on its verified Facebook page.

Mahbub Alam, the party’s joint convener and head of the election media subcommittee, said, “At least three more seats are certain to be added. Our goal is to secure 40 seats, which will be finalised soon.”

Another senior party leader, requesting anonymity, said the NCP had initially been allocated 30 seats within the alliance. “After Islami Andolan stepped away, we increased our demand to 40 seats. The number may rise by around five,” the leader added.

Among the announced candidates are Convener Nahid Islam for Dhaka-11, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary for Dhaka-8, Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain for Rangpur-4, Chief Organiser (south) Hasnat Abdullah for Cumilla-4, Chief Organiser (north) Sarjis Alam for Panchagarh-1, and Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud for Noakhali-6.

Other candidates include Ariful Islam Adeeb (Dhaka-18), Mahbub Alam (Lakshmipur-1), SM Saif Mostafiz (Sirajganj-6), Sarwar Tushar (Narsingdi-2), Abdullah Al Amin (Narayanganj-4), SM Suza Uddin (Bandarban), Ashraf Mahdi (Brahmanbaria-2), Zobairul Hasan Arif (Chattogram-8), Mohammad Ataullah (Brahmanbaria-3), Md Abdul Ahad (Dinajpur-5), Sultan Mohammad Zakaria (Noakhali-2), Dilshana Parul (Dhaka-19), Nabila Tasnid (Dhaka-20), Atik Mujahid (Kurigram-2), Jahedul Islam (Mymensingh-11), Saifullah Hyder (Tangail-3), Javed Rasin (Dhaka-9), Ali Naser Khan (Gazipur-2), Majedul Islam (Munshiganj-2), Shamim Hamide (Pirojpur-3), and SM Jarjis Kadir (Natore-3).

At a press conference yesterday, Central Election Management Committee Chairman Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyan said the party’s seat count could rise further following Islami Andolan’s withdrawal.