Nahid Islam, the convener of the National Citizen Party, has called for a struggle to establish the ‘Second Republic’ through the election of a Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution. He emphasized that creating a new constitution through a democratic process is one of their primary objectives.

He stated that the people of Bangladesh must unite to build a political and state system that prioritizes national interests. Speaking at the party’s inaugural event on Friday at Manik Mia Avenue, Nahid Islam reiterated the importance of democratic principles.

He stressed that by drafting a democratic new constitution, the possibilities of re-establishing constitutional autocracy must be eradicated. Nahid noted that the student-public uprising of July 2024 had marked the beginning of the struggle for the Second Republic.

Regarding the newly established party, he stated that the National Citizen Party (NCP) aims to be a democratic, egalitarian, and people-representative political organization. He further claimed that the mass uprising in July 2024 successfully ended the 15-year-long fascist rule, which had tightly gripped the nation. However, he reminded everyone that this victory was not merely about toppling one government to replace it with another.

According to him, the people responded to the uprising to abolish the fascist structure embedded within the state, with the aim of establishing a rights-based and dignity-oriented state. With this vision in mind, they are officially announcing the formation of the National Citizen Party.

Nahid highlighted that in the Second Republic, a strong defense mechanism will be built to safeguard national interests. Rebuilding the collapsed political, social, economic, and cultural institutions and ensuring their democratic nature will be the party’s political priority. Only through these measures can Bangladesh emerge as a fully democratic state.

He further stated that they aspire to cultivate a political culture where unity replaces division, justice replaces revenge, and merit replaces dynastic rule. He assured that corruption and nepotism will have no place in their political agenda.

In the Second Republic, the voices of marginalized communities will be brought to the mainstream, ensuring equal importance for every citizen and maximum security for all. He reaffirmed their commitment to building a just and equitable society.

Nahid expressed his firm belief that the July 2024 uprising was not just a victory against fascism but also a pledge to build the future. He urged everyone to join hands in creating a Bangladesh where every citizen's voice is heard, justice prevails, and equality and human dignity form the foundation of the state. He declared that now is the time to dream anew, embark on a new journey, and build a new Bangladesh.

According to him, the Second Republic is not an unattainable dream; it is the solemn commitment for the future of Bangladesh.

During the inauguration event, leaders from the National Citizen Committee (JNC) and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement (ADSM) united to form the party, appointing Nahid Islam as convener and Akhtar Hossain as the member secretary.

A partial central committee of the party was also announced, drawing thousands of participants from across the country. Senior Joint Conveners Samantha Sharmin and Ariful Islam Adib were appointed, while Tasnim Jara and Nahida Sarwar were named Senior Joint Member Secretaries.

Additionally, Hasnat Abdullah was designated as the chief organizer for the southern region, while Sarjis Alam was assigned as the chief organizer for the northern region. Nasir Uddin Patwari was appointed as the chief coordinator, with Abdul Hannan Masud as the Senior Joint Coordinator.

The inauguration event commenced at 4:20 PM with recitations from the Holy Quran, the Gita, the Tripitaka, and the Bible. Following this, the national anthem was performed, and a moment of silence was observed in honor of the martyrs of the July uprising.

Mim Akhtar, sister of martyr Ismail Hossain Rabbi, formally announced the names of the convener and member secretary. Subsequently, member secretary Akhtar Hossain declared the names of other key leaders. He mentioned that the names of additional central committee leaders would be announced soon.

Before this, speeches were delivered by several student leaders, including Samantha Sharmin, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Nasir Uddin Patwari, Nusrat Tabassum, and Abdul Hannan Masud.