Nahid Islam, the convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), held a high-level meeting with Shafiqur Rahman, the Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, on Sunday morning. The meeting, held at the personal office of the Jamaat chief, focused on the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election and the current political landscape of the country.
According to a social media post from Nahid Islam’s official Facebook page, the two leaders exchanged views on the overall political scenario and strategic preparations for the national polls scheduled for February 12, 2026.
Strategic Alliance and Seat Sharing
The meeting comes at a critical time as the NCP has recently joined an eight-party electoral alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami. On Saturday, while speaking to journalists after a meeting with Ivars Ijabs, the Chief Observer of the European Union (EU) election observation mission, Nahid Islam hinted at the finalization of their coalition’s strategy.
“The final announcement regarding seat distribution within our alliance for the 13th National Parliamentary Election will be made by January 12,” Nahid Islam stated.
The NCP convener emphasized that the alliance is prioritizing transparency and reform, aiming to uphold the spirit of the post-mass uprising period.
Internal and International Engagements
While the NCP and Jamaat are moving forward with their coalition, the decision has faced internal friction within the NCP. Recently, several central leaders of the party resigned, citing ideological differences regarding the partnership with Jamaat-e-Islami.
Despite these challenges, Nahid Islam and the NCP leadership have been actively engaging with international stakeholders. The discussion with the EU’s Ivars Ijabs focused on ensuring a free, fair, and inclusive election.
Election Preparations
The Election Commission has already declared the nomination papers of both Shafiqur Rahman (Dhaka-15) and Nahid Islam (Dhaka-11) as valid. As the campaign period approaches, the alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami is reportedly ahead in public outreach, focusing on anti-corruption and justice-based reforms.
The political arena remains tense as major parties finalize their coalitions. With the January 12 deadline for seat sharing approaching, all eyes are on how the Jamaat-NCP alliance will navigate the final stages of election engineering.
