A new political entity, the Bangladesh Republic Party (BRP), formally announced its emergence in the national political arena on Friday afternoon pledging to uphold the principles of justice, sovereignty and collective welfare.
The party was launched at a public event held at the Central Shaheed Minar under the slogan 'Country Above All' signifying its nationalist orientation and rejection of foreign influence in domestic politics.
The declaration ceremony saw participation from citizens across professional strata including former armed forces officers, medical professionals, engineers, academics and legal experts. Sanjida Khan Dipti, the mother of July Uprising martyr Anas, publicly read out the names of the central committee members emphasizing the movement's roots in sacrifice and civic resistance.
The leadership of the newly formed BRP includes Lt Col (Retd) Md. Mehedi Hasan as President, Major (Retd) Md. Rajibul Hasan as General Secretary, and Md Selim Pradhan as Chief Advisor. Selim, a controversial figure who was previously arrested in 2019 during the anti-casino crackdown and subsequently convicted in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), who was released in 2024 after serving a four-year sentence.
Speaking at the event, BRP President Mehedi said, "We have come to do people's politics, not vote politics. We want to be pro-Bangladesh. We are not pro-Delhi, pro-Pindi or pro-New York. Those who will establish good relations with us on the basis of fairness are all our friends." He emphasized that the party's diplomatic doctrine would prioritize fairness, sovereignty and dignity.
The party manifesto was read out by Joint General Secretary Sajjad Hossain Yunus declaring, "Inspired by the spirit of the great liberation wars of historic '47, '71 and the mass uprising of '24, we, the patriotic citizens of different classes and professions, are announcing a new political party called Bangladesh Republic Party (BRP) with the aim of forming a non-discriminatory, just and welfare-oriented state."
Referring to the July Movement, he added, "The inspiration behind the formation of this party is the July Movement, where nearly two thousand heroes were martyred and more than 30 thousand were injured in the anti-fascist movement to build a good governance-based, non-discriminatory Bangladesh."
According to the party's foundational declaration, BRP positions itself as a nationalist political force seeking to transcend conventional electoral politics in favor of systemic reform. The manifesto articulates a vision of governance based on social justice, equality and national interest. It asserts that independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and dignity-based foreign relations will constitute the cornerstone of its external policy framework.
The organizational structure features senior vice president Sayeed Ali Sikder and vice presidents Captain (Retd) Shafiqul Islam, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Imran, Md Ayaz Ahmed, Advocate Nasir Uddin and Md Bayezid. Other key figures include Joint General Secretaries Lieutenant (Retd) Saifullah Khan, Sajjad Hossain Yunus and Md Ahsanullah alongside secretaries responsible for organizational, legal, health, education, labor and disaster affairs.
