The National Citizen Party (NCP), a new political platform and partner of the 11-party alliance, on Friday unveiled its election manifesto-Manifesto of Youth and Dignity-ahead of the 13th National Parliament elections, outlining 36 pledges centred on state reform, accountability, economic restructuring and national security.
The manifesto was announced at La Vita Hall of the Lakeshore Grand Hotel in Gulshan.
The party pledged to form an independent commission to implement the July Charter and promised "exemplary trials" for crimes against humanity committed during what it described as "Awami fascism," including the July genocide, the Shapla massacre, the BDR massacre, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. It also announced plans to establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a special investigation cell under the Human Rights Commission.
To boost transparency, NCP said annual income and asset declarations of ministers, MPs and senior officials would be made public through a "Hisab Dao" portal. Administrative reforms would include performance-based promotions, revised pay scales and the use of NID as a single gateway for public services.
On the economy, the manifesto promises a Tk 100 hourly minimum wage, a national pension system, regulation of house rents, reduced tax pressure on low- and middle-income groups, and raising the tax-to-GDP ratio to 12 percent. It also vows to curb loan defaults through asset confiscation and political disqualification, enforce zero tolerance against extortion to attract investment, and bring inflation down to six percent.
The party pledged to create one crore jobs in five years, lower the voting age to 16, establish a Youth Civic Council, expand SME financing, launch a Tk 10,000 crore entrepreneurship fund, and develop 1.5 million skilled migrant workers annually. Education reforms, national health insurance, specialised healthcare zones, district-level ICUs, maternity and paternity leave, direct elections to 100 reserved seats for women, and digital services for the diaspora were also outlined.
On foreign policy, NCP said it would work to end border killings, secure river water-sharing agreements, and repatriate Awami League leaders-including Sheikh Hasina-through diplomatic and legal channels. "If necessary, international organisations and courts will be approached," it said, while also seeking ASEAN membership and a humanitarian resolution to the Rohingya crisis.
On defence, the manifesto states: "Giving the highest priority to overall national security, we will form a National Security Council. At the core of our integrated defence policy will be parliamentary oversight, protection of civil rights and commitment to regional peace."
The party also announced plans to build a reserve force twice the size of the regular military, train 30,000 youths annually, establish a UAV brigade and acquire eight medium-range surface-to-air missile batteries within five years, with an estimated initial cost of Tk 500 crore and an annual expenditure of Tk 400 crore.
Meanwhile, Senior leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and candidates of the 11-party alliance launched coordinated campaign offensives on Friday across Dhaka and Comilla, promising to tackle corruption, drugs, extortion, and authoritarian politics.
NCP convener and 11-party alliance candidate Nahid Islam, speaking at a public meeting in Aftabnagar under Dhaka-11, pledged to establish a discrimination-free state and keep "loan defaulters and land grabbers" out of parliament. He vowed that administrative access and rule of law would be ensured for common people, saying, "You will no longer have to sit at the door of any party leader; you can directly approach the police station and your problem will be solved."
During door-to-door campaigning, Nahid urged voters to support his electoral symbol, Shapla Kali, in the February 12 polls and back the "Yes" box in the upcoming referendum.
Meanwhile, NCP chief coordinator and Dhaka-8 candidate Nasiruddin Patwari accused BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman of undermining democracy and dismissed BNP's promises of family and farmer cards as "deception." Calling BNP candidate Mirza Abbas a terrorist, Patwari pledged zero tolerance for injustice and corruption.
