National Citizen Party Demands Arrest of Former President Mohammed Shahabuddin
The National Citizen Party (NCP) has called for the immediate arrest of former President Mohammed Shahabuddin. This demand followed Shahabuddin’s recent resignation from office. The party made its request at a press briefing in Dhaka. The meeting happened at its central office in Banglamotor.
Akhter Hossen is the NCP Member Secretary. He said Shahabuddin must be arrested right away. This is to ensure full justice for the victims of the 2024 mass uprising. It also aims to stop an autocratic system from returning. Mr. Hossen also asked the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) to act. He said if the BNP truly supports the July Mass Uprising, it should start legal action against the former president quickly.
Mr. Hossen claimed that the resigned president helped fascism. He said Shahabuddin approved all forced disappearances and killings. These events happened under former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. During the 2024 uprising, Sheikh Hasina committed cruel acts against students and the public. Shahabuddin remained silent during these events, according to Mr. Hossen. This silence meant he supported her actions, the NCP leader added.
Akhter Hossen also noted Shahabuddin’s resignation reason. He said Shahabuddin resigned due to poor health. However, his resignation letter included unrelated historical stories. Mr. Hossen believes this was an attempt to create a safe way out for himself.
The NCP leader also criticized the BNP. He said the BNP knew long ago that Shahabuddin was not fit to be president. Instead of removing him, the BNP helped him stay in power. They included him in many social and state events. Mr. Hossen stated that Shahabuddin’s presidential office previously protected him from legal action. Now that he has resigned, he has no legal protection left.
Ariful Islam Adeeb is the NCP Senior Joint Convenor. He spoke at the briefing. Mr. Adeeb claimed the BNP wants to choose its own president. This is for the upcoming election period, he said. He added that the BNP moved to remove Shahabuddin five months after forming the government for this reason. Mr. Adeeb stated that the BNP often places people who will agree with them into the presidency. This helps them win elections. He believes the current political actions continue this long-standing strategy.
Other NCP members were also present. These included Abdul Hannan Masud, a Member of Parliament, and NCP leader Monira Sharmin.
