Key leaders of the recently launched National Citizen Party (NCP) are actively engaging in mass contact in their respective areas, capitalising on the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation.
As they prepare to contest the upcoming national election, many have travelled to their parliamentary constituencies to celebrate Eid and connect with local voters.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. In the days leading up to Eid, NCP leaders conducted extensive outreach activities, including attending community iftar events and visiting villages, neighbourhoods, and local communities to interact with people.
Several key leaders told The Daily Star they aim to solidify their grassroots support ahead of the election, utilising the holiday period when people return home to celebrate Eid.
Party leaders said they would prioritise door-to-door campaigns over large-scale rallies and planned to meet families of those killed and injured during the July uprising on Eid day, presenting Eid gifts to them.
Several top NCP leaders have drawn attention for their contrasting campaign approaches.
The grand entry of Chief Organiser (North) Sarjis Alam into Panchagarh last Monday, with a grand procession of motorcades, has stirred the political waters, drawing both attention and criticism. Given that Panchagarh is his ancestral home, his arrival was not just a return but a statement — an orchestrated display of influence that many see as a power move in Bangladesh’s politics.
On the second day of his visit, he toured several villages in Alowakhoya Union of Atwari upazila, including Rakhaldeb, Bamankumar, Balia, and Laxmithan, speaking with people from various professions at their homes and workplaces. Sarjis intends to contest the election from the Panchagarh-1 constituency.
“Whenever we visited people, they spoke to us spontaneously. We discussed their expectations from the new party and various issues in my area,” Sarjis told The Daily Star.
Member Secretary Akhter Hossen conducted a large-scale campaign in his parliamentary constituency in Rangpur with over 200 vans on Thursday. The procession started from Mahiganj Satmatha and travelled through Deuti, Kadamtali, Kaliganj, and Pautana in Pirgacha before moving through different roads in Kaunia.
Akhter engaged in mass contact across various areas of Pirgacha and Kaunia upazilas, meeting with locals.
“Instead of grand rallies, we have prioritised door-to-door campaigns. We aim to connect with the grassroots and understand their aspirations for the future of Bangladesh,” Akhter told this newspaper.
NCP Convener Nahid Islam, a resident of the capital’s Banasree area, has been actively engaging with the local community. Party leaders said the NCP has also planned a mass-contact programme in Dhaka ahead of Eid, dividing the capital into four areas — Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Rampura, and Dhanmondi.
Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib has been organising iftar events and meeting families of the July martyrs in Mirpur, while Joint Member Secretary Akram Hossain has been assigned to Mohammadpur.
Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary will celebrate Eid in his ancestral home in Chandpur. He told this newspaper he would connect with various stakeholders in his area, including teachers, leaders of other political parties, and families of those killed in the July uprising.
Another chief organiser, Hasnat Abdullah, who is preparing to contest from Cumilla-4 (Debidwar), has been regularly attending meetings and events in the area.
Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud has been conducting mass contact since last week as he prepares to contest the national polls from Noakhali-6.
Masud and his supporters were allegedly attacked by expelled BNP activists in Hatia upazila of Noakhali during a street rally at Jahajmara Bazaar.
Joint Convener Sarwar Tushar will celebrate Eid in his ancestral home in Narsingdi, where he will spend the day with families of injured protesters.
Mir Arshadul Haque, Joint Member Secretary of NCP and a potential candidate for Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, will celebrate Eid at his home in Banshkhali before resuming mass contact in the area after Eid.