In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming national elections, Mir Arshadul Hoque, the former Joint Member Secretary of the National Citizen Party (NCP) and its Chattogram Metropolitan Chief Coordinator, has officially joined the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).
The formal induction took place on Wednesday afternoon at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan. Mir Arshadul Hoque met with BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, after which he accepted primary membership from BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Departure from NCP
Mir Arshadul Hoque was one of the first high-profile leaders to break away from the student-led NCP. He resigned from all his party positions on December 25, 2025, citing a misalignment in the party’s ideological direction.
His resignation followed the NCP’s decision to join an electoral alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, a move he and several other central leaders publicly opposed. In his resignation statement, he expressed that the NCP had failed to uphold the core spirit of the July mass uprising and was heading in a “wrong direction” by compromising on its founding principles.
Alignment with Tarique Rahman’s Leadership
Upon his resignation, Mir Arshadul Hoque had already signaled his political shift by welcoming the return of Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh. He stated that the BNP-led alliance remains the only viable force capable of restoring democracy and stability in the country.
His joining is seen as a major boost for the BNP in the Chattogram-16 (Banshkhali) constituency, where he was previously the NCP’s nominated candidate. He is expected to play a key role in the BNP’s election campaign in the Chattogram region.
A Growing Trend
The move comes amidst a wave of departures from the NCP. Following Hoque’s lead, several other central and regional leaders, including Tasnim Jara, have distanced themselves from the party over its strategic alliance with Islamist parties. Just days ago, hundreds of other NCP activists in various districts also reportedly joined the BNP, citing similar concerns over the NCP’s political trajectory.
