NCP Protests Outside Parliament as 13th Assembly Commences
Members of the National Citizen Party (NCP), a political platform emerging from the student-led mass uprising, gathered at Manik Mia Avenue as early as 10:30 AM to press home a three-point demand. Led by NCP spokesperson Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, along with joint conveners Sarwar Tushar and Monira Sharmin, the protesters called for the immediate impeachment of the President, comprehensive constitutional reform, and swift justice for the July 2024 massacre.
The NCP leadership emphasized that their "People's Demands" are essential to fulfilling the aspirations of the revolution that toppled the previous regime on August 5, 2024. Despite the party holding a limited number of seats in the new parliament—where the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) holds a dominant majority of 209 seats—the NCP has vowed to maintain pressure on the government from both inside and outside the House. They argue that democratic stability cannot be achieved without a total cleansing of "fascist remnants" from the state structure, starting with the presidency.
Inside the parliament, the session proceeded with the unanimous election of Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed (Bir Bikram) as Speaker and Barrister Kayser Kamal as Deputy Speaker. Following their election, both were sworn in by President Mohammed Shahabuddin at the President’s Office. The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, though the absence of the main opposition, Jamaat-e-Islami, mirrored the discontent voiced by the NCP protesters outside.
This duality of celebration within the halls of power and agitation on the streets highlights the complex political landscape of post-uprising Bangladesh. As the 13th Parliament begins its journey, the government faces the dual challenge of legislative governance and addressing the radical reform demands of the youth-led political forces. The Prime Minister, in his opening remarks, acknowledged the sacrifices of the July martyrs, but the NCP's protest serves as a reminder that many activists expect more than symbolic tributes from the newly elected assembly.
