Jatiya Nagorik Party’s (NCP) chief coordinator for southern region, Hasnat Abdullah, has stated that his party would rather die than form an alliance with extortionists and criminals.
He made the remarks while addressing NCP’s district coordination meeting at Chandpur Shilpakala Academy on Monday night.
Reaffirming his party’s stance on political reform and clean politics, Abdullah said, “July Charter must be implemented before the upcoming national election. It’s not a financial order or a simple circular—it’s the July Charter Order, and it must be handed over by Dr. Yunus.”
He warned that various conspiracies are underway to derail the upcoming election but asserted that ensuring a fair and participatory election is a shared political responsibility.
“We can’t shy away from that responsibility. Everyone must work together to safeguard democracy,” he added.
Hasnat alleged that NCP has been a victim of repeated media propaganda. “Rumors were spread that we formed an alliance for 20 ministerial seats. From the beginning, we made it clear that NCP will contest independently. Anyone wishing to join us must be reform-minded—those who believe in Bangladesh, in the July Charter, and who oppose extortion and terrorism. We will never ally with those who engage in neighborhood extortion; it would be better to die than to stand beside them,” he said firmly.
Turning to BNP, he said, “BNP has struggled hard to survive. Many of its leaders and activists have been cornered by their own party leadership. They often tell us—‘Take the country in the right direction; our party has been hijacked.’ We have shed blood and sweat for the people’s voting rights and freedom.”
He noted that there are many good people within BNP who are not involved in any wrongdoing. “We welcome those who truly believe in the ideals of Ziaur Rahman. A true follower of Zia cannot be an extortionist,” he said.
Responding to critics, Abdullah said some mock the NCP, saying it will vanish after the polls. “I want to tell them—good work always begins with a few. It’s a mistake to think that those in the majority are always righteous. Even during Hasina’s regime, the number of those who fought for justice was small,” he remarked.
Addressing his own party members, Abdullah expressed disappointment at the poor turnout in the meeting. “Some of you are busy counting quorum—but what quorum are you talking about? Out of representatives from eight upazilas, less than half have shown up. We don’t need crowd-based politics; we’ll build a strong committee with ten good, dedicated members,” he declared.
Speaking about the upcoming national election, he said, “We believe the election will be fair. However, some have chosen bullets over ballots. They think they can intimidate the public and impose fascist rule through fear. They’re even spreading lies that anyone voting for NCP will face consequences after the election.”
Abdullah reassured supporters, saying, “Those who threaten others are the ones who are truly afraid. Fearmongers are facing an existential crisis. Brave people don’t threaten—they work hand in hand with the public.”
