With its eyes set on securing official political registration, the newly formed National Citizen Party (NCP) is accelerating efforts to establish a nationwide organisational footprint.

The party, led by youths who spearheaded the July uprising that ultimately brought down the autocratic Awami League regime, plans to begin forming district and upazila committees by the end of April – aiming to complete the process within just two months. Senior leaders say the groundwork is nearly done, with preparations underway in full swing.

“This is our first big test as a political party – to show we’re serious, structured, and here to stay,” said one top organiser, speaking to the Daily Sun.

To fast-track the process, the NCP is setting up eight divisional coordination teams that will oversee committee formation across the country. These teams will include a mix of existing members from the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and new faces from various professional backgrounds.

While most upazila-level committees are reportedly ready, the party is still working to organise district-level units.

At the same time, the party’s youth wing is expected to launch this month, marking another key milestone.

On 29 March, just ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the NCP formed a sub-committee to lay the groundwork for its youth wing. A similar step was taken on 23 March to initiate a labour wing.

The party is also pushing to build a strong professional wing comprising doctors, engineers, bankers, marine professionals, teachers, agriculturists and others – a move leaders say will help expand its support base and bring in new expertise.

Since its launch on 28 February, the NCP has been steadily building its presence across the country.

According to data from the Jatiya Nagorik Committee and Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, the Nagorik Committee, since its formation on 8 September, has so far formed 455 local committees – including 160 at the thana level, 280 at the upazila level, and 15 at the ward level. In addition, at least 12 specialised wings have been created to engage professionals such as engineers, doctors, bankers, lawyers, and expatriates.

The Anti-Discrimination Movement also has active committees across districts, upazilas, universities, and other educational institutions.

These networks will serve as the backbone for NCP’s grassroots party structure.

Those uninterested in politics will remain under the Nagorik Committee, which will continue to operate as a civic platform at the district level. However, the upazila-level committees of the Nagorik Committee will be dissolved.

When asked about the overall matter, Samanta Sharmin, senior joint convenor of the National Citizen Party, told the Daily Sun, “We have already begun the process of forming committees at the district and upazila levels. Work is progressing behind the scenes.

“Those who are currently part of the upazila committees of the Nagorik Committee will, in essence, be incorporated into the Citizen Party. These upazila committees were formed over a long period of time. As a result, we expect to complete the formation of all party committees in a short span of time.”

Mentioning that they are taking a bit of time to finalise the method through which members of the Nagorik Committee and the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will formally join the party, Samanta said, “The directive just needs to be documented. Once that is done, we will proceed with forming the committees. We are hopeful that we will be able to finalise the committees within the next two months.”

Party leaders say the Eid holidays gave them a valuable chance to connect with local voters. Between 29 March and early April, central NCP leaders travelled to their constituencies and held informal meetings with local organisers and the public.

Some were seen greeting voters through posters, joining Eid congregations, and even addressing community gatherings. In several areas, they hosted friendly football and cricket matches and cultural programmes, while also reaching out to religious minorities and marginalised groups.

Several senior leaders confirmed to the Daily Sun that the party had conducted direct voter outreach in at least 41 constituencies during the holiday period to get a feel for public sentiment.

“We wanted to meet people where they are – in their neighbourhoods, in their mosques, at community events. And the response was encouraging,” said a senior party figure.

With most of its leaders now back in Dhaka, the party is preparing for a key executive meeting later this month.

There, leaders will share their field experiences and finalise plans for committee formation and early electoral preparations.

Speaking to the Daily Sun, Ariful Islam Adib, senior joint convener of the NCP, said, “Our first major task is to build strong organisational structures across the country. We’re kicking off district and upazila committee formation this April, and our goal is to finish within the next two months.”

Asked about who will be included in the new committees, Adib said, “Those who were previously active in the Citizens’ Committee or the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement – and are now ready to enter politics – will be prioritised. Since the July movement, we’ve built strong ideological bonds with many of them. We’re confident they’ll transition into political roles naturally.”

Echoing a similar view, Saleh Uddin Sifat, joint member secretary, told the Daily Sun, “We’ve already begun working on committee formation across the country. Those aligned with our political vision, even if they weren’t part of earlier platforms, can also be brought into leadership roles. That’s how we’re building the party – inclusive but focused.”

Registration push underway

With the Eid holidays now over, the NCP has begun full-scale preparations to meet the Election Commission’s conditions for party registration.

A dedicated taskforce, led by Joint Convener Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shahin, has been formed to oversee the process.

While the party is confident about meeting most requirements, some leaders privately admit there may not be enough time to fulfil all conditions before the official deadline. As such, the NCP plans to formally request an extension for the application submission period.

“We’re moving as fast as we can, but building a party from the ground up isn’t a small task,” said one senior organiser. “We just need a little more time – and we’re hopeful the Election Commission will consider that.”

According to NCP insiders, the Election Commission (EC) issued a public notice on 10 March, calling on new political parties to submit registration applications by 20 April.

However, the NCP says it will not be able to meet all the registration requirements within this tight timeframe. As a result, the party plans to formally request an extension for the application deadline.

A delegation from the NCP is expected to visit the Election Commission later this week to submit the request. In the meantime, the party is pushing ahead with efforts to fulfil the mandatory conditions – including establishing a sufficient number of party offices (with a central office), finalising the party’s constitution, and forming committees nationwide. Leaders say they are aiming to complete all preparations within the next two months.

As per the EC’s public notice, any party seeking registration must have an active central committee and headquarters, a presence in no more than one-third of administrative districts, and offices in at least 100 upazilas or, where applicable, metropolitan thanas. Each of these local units must include at least 200 enrolled voters as members. The party’s constitution must also include specific clauses outlined by the EC.

However, meeting all of these requirements by 20 April is not realistic for a newly formed party.

When asked about the issue, NCP Senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib said, “The Election Commission is treating us in a one-sided manner when it comes to the registration process. We will be applying for an extension of the deadline.

“We also have some proposals for reforming the EC’s registration process, but instead of addressing those, they’ve rushed ahead using the old system. Our delegation will meet with the Commission very soon to discuss all of these concerns.”