The National Citizens Party (NCP) has announced a 'Manifesto for a New Bangladesh', promising to formulate a new constitution, form a second republic, and recognize and prosecute the July coup. The 24-point manifesto was announced by the party's convener Nahid Islam at a rally held at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on Sunday, marking the first anniversary of the one-point announcement of the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government. He said that in the new reality, that one-point announcement of the fall of the government has now transformed into 24 points.

Nahid Islam said, "Exactly a year ago today, at this Shaheed Minar, we took an oath to free this country from tyranny. Because you responded to that call, we all defeated the fascist regime and restored our authority over the country."
However, the NCP convener admitted that it was not possible to overthrow the old arrangement. He said, "We could not create a new constitution; we could not break the corrupt pillars of power and the military-administrative structure.
Today, we have come here to admit our inability."

Nahid Islam expressed optimism about the abolition of the fascist system and the creation of a new political settlement. He said, "We could not return home peacefully by simply removing one fascist regime and leaving the possibility of the rise of another fascist system alive. Rather, we have formed the National Citizen Party, your student-worker-people and political party, to shoulder the responsibility of implementing your intense desire to completely eradicate this fascist system that has been entrenched in the state and society for a long time."

The NCP convener said, the Mujibist constitution of 1972 and the subsequent misrule, corruption, and famine were a cruel betrayal of this long-standing sacrifice and aspiration of the people. A one-sided and arbitrary ideology was imposed on the people in the name of Bengali nationalism. Then, despite going through various ups and downs of state formation, we could not create a state in the five decades of independence; which ensures democracy, equality, human dignity, and social justice.

Then Nahid Islam announced the 24-point manifesto of the NCP. In it, he spoke about the formulation of a new constitution through the Constituent Assembly as the first pledge. He also announced the formation of a non-discriminatory, democratic, inclusive and public welfare-oriented Second Republic by abolishing dictatorship, dynasticism and fascist structures. He also highlighted the need to ensure the constitutional recognition of the July Declaration and the July Charter. In the manifesto, the NCP convener pledged to recognize the July Uprising and to prosecute the violence committed during the attempt to suppress the movement.

The NCP manifesto states – 1. Formation of a new constitution and second republic, 2. Recognition and trial of the July coup, 3. Reform of democracy and state institutions, 4. Justice-based judicial system and law reform, 5. Service-oriented administration and suppression of corruption. For this, enacting a whistleblower protection law (such a law was enacted in 2011), 6. Building a people-friendly law enforcement force, 7. Establishing village parliaments and local governments, 8. Building an independent media and a strong civil society, 9. Building a universal healthcare system, 10. Building a skilled, knowledge-based society ready for future innovation, industrialization and economy by increasing allocations to the education sector, 11. Research, innovation and information technology revolution, undertaking various scientific research projects for a period of 50 years, 12. Building a multilingual, multicultural, multi-ethnic inclusive Bangladesh, 13. Women's safety, rights and empowerment, direct election of women representatives in 100 reserved seats in the lower house, 14. Human-centered and welfare-oriented economy, 15. Diversification of export-oriented labor-intensive industries and development of skilled human resources to ensure dignified employment at home and abroad for all able-bodied citizens, 16. Diversification of exports and investment in access to alternative markets to make the future economy sustainable, 17. Supply and fair price of agricultural products will be ensured, while protecting the interests of buyers, 18. Ensuring recognition and legal protection of all workers in the formal, informal, agricultural, domestic, migrant, transport and self-employed sectors, 19. Establishing the sovereign ownership of the people over national natural resources, 20. Developing river and canal-centered urban management in cities including the capital and an integrated high-speed public transport-oriented and safe transportation system, 21. Using green technology to protect rivers, air and biodiversity to build a climate-tolerant, pollution-free and planned Bangladesh, 22. Ensuring the dignity and rights of Bangladeshis living abroad, 23. Formulating a pro-Bangladesh foreign policy, always keeping foreign policy above party interests and narrow-mindedness, giving importance to public diplomacy, and 24. Motivating the young population to serve the country as an organized and disciplined force based on the philosophy of public defense as a national defense strategy.

What other leaders said
At the rally, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari said, "We want to formulate a national foreign policy based on fairness, equality and mutual respect. We will not compromise on the issue of equality, fairness and rights. Apart from this, Bangladesh will also play a role in dealing with global crises."

Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said, the July Declaration should be given constitutional recognition, the July Charter should be made effective, and the reforms of the July Charter should be implemented by the interim government. We have gone to the Consensus Commission with high expectations. We have to ensure the implementation of each and every one of the fundamental reforms that have been achieved. The people of the country are waiting for the implementation of every word of the July Charter. We will not let the July Charter turn into a paper tiger.

Senior Joint Convener Samantha Sharmin said, "We understand the spiritual value of the wind. The wind of the uprising in every district has touched us. All the revolutions and mass uprisings that have taken place in Bangladesh have centered on employment, education and health. If these areas are not given importance, there will be another mass uprising."

Senior Joint Member Secretary Tasneem Zara said, "We will build a healthcare system where no one is deprived of treatment due to lack of money. We will build an emergency medical system where life-saving treatment can be started in the ambulance before reaching the hospital. Every citizen will have a unique health ID, in which all medical information will be stored digitally; it will never be lost."

Sarjis Alam, the chief organizer of the northern region, said, "The 1972 constitution belonged to one party. That constitution was passed by another country. We cannot allow this Mujibist constitution to remain in Bangladesh. We have come to this stage today to dismantle the Mujibist constitution and demand a new constitution."

Hasnat Abdullah, the chief organizer of the southern region, said, "It has been a year since the July Revolution. We have only talked for a year; now it is time for action. Our convener and member secretary will give directions, we will implement them. We will be ready to give our lives if necessary."

Among others who spoke at the rally were Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adeeb, Senior Joint Chief Coordinator Abdul Hannan Masud, Joint Convener Anik Roy, Dhaka Metropolitan North Coordinator Akram Hossain, Youth Power Convener Advocate Tariqul Islam, Shaheed Imam Hasan Taim's brother Rabiul Awal, and NCP's Sramik Wing Coordinator Mazharul Islam Fakir.