People will take to the streets again if no changes are made to the old political settlement for which they joined the July uprising, said National Citizen Party convener Nahid Islam on Thursday in Nilphamari.
During the party鈥檚 ongoing programme marking the first anniversary of the July uprising in the northern district, the newly floated party leader said that political leadership representing the old settlement was discarded thorough the聽 student-led mass uprising, but the old settlement was yet to be overhauled.
鈥楪eneral people want changes鈥f we move forward without changes, people will again take to the streets,鈥� Nahid said while responding to questions from journalists after offering prayers to July uprising martyr Sajjad Hossain at his graveyard in Nilphamari鈥檚 Saidpur union to begin the party鈥檚 third-day march on Thursday afternoon.
Those who want to continue with the old political settlement in their own interest like the previous regime are seeking to delay reforms, he observed.
Nahid, also a former central leader of Students Against Discrimination that spearheaded the July uprising to oust the Awami League regime on August 5, 2024, reminded that thousands of people shed their blood in the uprising.
鈥楴o one will be forgiven if the people take to the streets this time,鈥� he warned.
The NCP began the march on July 1 from Rangpur by offering prayers to uprising martyr Abu Sayed as part of its July 1- August 5 countrywide programme to mark the first anniversary of the uprising.
A group of student and youth leaders who led the uprising formed the NCP on February 28.
Referring to Wednesday鈥檚 explosion of crude bombs in front the party office in the capital, Nahid on Thursday afternoon alleged that a group was conspiring to disrupt the NCP鈥檚 countrywide programme.
Criticising the role of the administration, responsible for ensuring people鈥檚 security, Nahid also expressed concern over the environment with respect to holding fair elections in the coming days.
NCP chief organiser for South Hasnat Abdullah said that people and students like Sajjad took to the streets with a dream to build a new Bangladesh and the dream must be fulfilled.
On the third day of the party鈥檚 countrywide programme, NCP leaders and activists, including the party鈥檚 chief organiser for North Sarjis Alam, chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, senior joint convener Samanta Sharmeen, and senior joint member secretary Tasnim Jara, among others, visited Saidpur Bihari Palli and also held marches and rallies in Nilphamari and Panchagarh.
As part of the NCP鈥檚 observance programme, its member secretary Akhter Hossain on Thursday evening inaugurated a documentary screening, organised by the Dhaka metropolitan south unit of the party, in the capital鈥檚 Shahbagh area.
After the inauguration, two crude bombs exploded during the screening near the venue about 8:00pm to foil the NCP鈥檚 countrywide programmes, alleged the party鈥檚 joint chief coordinator Arifur Rahaman Tuhin.
Tuhin blamed law enforcers for failing to take actions against the persons involved in the explosions, including Thursday鈥檚 explosion.
Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge Khalid Mansur, however, claimed that the two crackers exploded in front of Bangladesh Medical University鈥檚 no. 1 gate, far from the screening venue.聽
The NCP is scheduled to hold marches in all districts till July 30, demanding trial of the Awami League and its leaders for the massacres during the mass uprising, reforms in various sectors, and a new constitution aiming at building a discrimination-free Bangladesh.
The party leaders and activists will hold marches and rallies in Thakurgaon today.
