NCP Leader Nahid Islam Pledges Mandatory Military Training for All Above 18
Delivering his televised electoral address on Bangladesh Television (BTV) on Sunday evening (February 8), Nahid outlined a bold vision for state reform ahead of the February 12 national elections. He argued that such training would build a "people-based defense" capable of resisting hegemonistic external pressures and reducing long-term state expenditures.
In a move to reform the country's law enforcement, Nahid announced that an NCP-led government would rename the police force to the "Jonosebok Bahini" (Public Service Force). He proposed dismantling the current centralized structure of the police and reorganizing it at the local government level to ensure transparency and accountability. "We want a force that serves the people, not the power," he stated, adding that recruitment would be conducted fairly at the upazila level with equal opportunities for men and women.
Economic and Foreign Policy Highlights
Asset Recovery: Nahid alleged that approximately $234 billion was laundered out of the country during the previous "fascist" regime. He pledged to initiate international legal proceedings to bring back this wealth and seize the assets of "looters" to be placed under a Public Trust.
Justice for Uprising: He reaffirmed the party's commitment to investigating and punishing all those involved in enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and human rights violations during the July Uprising.
Foreign Policy Shift: The NCP leader promised to move away from a "subservient" foreign policy toward India, aiming instead for an "independent and dignified" stance. His agenda includes revitalizing SAARC, pursuing membership in ASEAN, and strengthening strategic ties with the Muslim world.
Social Commitments: The "Shapla Koli" (Water Lily Bud) symbol alliance also promised to allocate 5% of the GDP to education, dismantle business syndicates to control commodity prices, and fully digitize the judiciary.
Nahid Islam, who rose to prominence as a key coordinator of the 2024 student-people's uprising, concluded his speech by urging voters to support the 11-party alliance to build a "state of justice and equity" (Insaf-er Rashtra). Analysts note that the NCP’s platform, rooted in the spirit of the "July Revolution," aims to capture the youth vote by offering a radical departure from traditional political structures.
