The Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), a new political entity formed by students who led a mass movement, is facing internal disputes among its top leaders barely a month after its inception.
The controversy centers around Facebook posts by key organizers Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, and Senior Joint Chief Organizer Abdul Hannan Masud regarding a meeting with Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman. This has led to widespread discontent among other party members.
Internal Rifts Over Public Statements
The NCP is rife with discussions about the leaders' habit of posting on Facebook without prior consultation within the party forum. Some members have criticized this as a tactic for "personal popularity politics."
The issue began last Thursday when Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the interim government, stated that there were no plans to ban the Awami League. Subsequently, discussions arose about attempts to rehabilitate the Awami League, prompting Hasnat's post.
In his midnight post, Hasnat claimed that he and two others were summoned to the cantonment on March 11 and offered proposals to rehabilitate the Awami League. This post sparked two days of intense debate.
In response, the Army Headquarters, through Sweden-based Netra News, dismissed Hasnat Abdullah's post as "nothing more than political stunt-mongering." The army also labeled the 27-year-old student leader's statements as "a collection of extremely ridiculous and immature stories."
On Sunday, March 23, another key organizer, Sarjis Alam, wrote on Facebook, "The manner in which these statements were made through Facebook statuses seems inappropriate to me. This process could potentially undermine our crucial discussions with any stakeholder in the future."
In the same post, Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud commented, "What is all this, brother? Publicly, I say one of them is lying. This cannot continue.
Despite holding important party posts, you are behaving in a personal manner and publicly discrediting the NCP. Who stands to gain from tarnishing the NCP's image when people are dreaming big about it? Sorry, I couldn't stay silent any longer."
Earlier, on Saturday, at an NCP Iftar event in Sylhet, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari described Hasnat's post as "undignified." He told reporters, "Hasnat Abdullah should not have posted on social media about his meetings with various state committees. We believe this was an undignified act." However, he clarified that this has not caused any rifts or divisions within the party.
Party's Response and Future Plans
Many NCP leaders have expressed anger over the issue, stating that such Facebook posts without internal party discussions are unacceptable. The central committee's WhatsApp group has been a hotbed of debate.
Central leader Khalid Saifullah wrote, "A handful of individuals are publicly expressing their personal opinions without any party decisions. If you want to do politics with celebrity faces, controversies, and populism, then remove us from the party and bring in TikTokers."
Another leader commented, "As a party member, you should not engage in personal popularity politics. You need to think about the party as well."
Another leader added, "During the last general meeting, it was discussed that no one from the decorum should post on Facebook impulsively and that we should align ourselves better. But who listens?"
Central leaders have also raised questions about holding meetings with various individuals without internal party discussions and then publicly disclosing the meeting details without informing the party.
However, Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin assured the media that despite these online disagreements, the party's spirit remains intact. "There is no division among us. We will finalize the draft of the constitution and code of conduct after Eid," she stated.
Meanwhile, the NCP held a press conference on Friday to clarify its position on the Awami League ban. However, they did not make any specific comments regarding the Army Chief.
