Political instability in Bangladesh has taken a sharp turn as the National Citizens’ Party (NCP) issued a scathing indictment of the current administration, labelling it “anti-people” and accusing it of abandoning the revolutionary spirit that brought it to power. Speaking at the triennial national conference of the Shramik Kalyan Federation at Suhrawardy Udyan on Saturday, NCP Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Md Nahid Islam alleged that the government has betrayed the very working-class citizens whose sacrifices secured the nation’s transition.
The critique centres on a perceived disconnect between the administration’s actions and the mandates of the 2024 mass uprising. Islam asserted that the new government, despite ascending to power on the back of labour-led movements, has “disregarded the public mandate” within just one month of taking office. He further claimed that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), a major force in the current political landscape, has prioritised the “taste of power” over the blood of the common people.
Historical context played a heavy role in the opposition’s rhetoric. Islam reminded the assembly that from the struggle of 1947 and the 1971 Liberation War to the most recent 2024 uprising, the majority of those who laid down their lives were labourers and members of the working class. He argued that the current leadership is failing to honour this legacy by stalling on promised reforms.
The controversy is largely fuelled by allegations of broken promises regarding the codification of interim ordinances into permanent law. According to Islam, the government has failed to implement critical structural reforms, a move he characterised as a dangerous violation of political trust. He warned that “the consequences of breaking promises in this country’s politics are never favourable", suggesting that a new wave of mass movements may be on the horizon to force the realisation of labour rights and systemic change.
As the government seeks to stabilise the nation’s economy and energy sector, this escalating internal friction poses a significant threat to the consensus required for long-term governance. The opposition’s call to action signals a growing impatience among the labour force, which remains the backbone of the country’s industrial and economic output.
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