The National Citizen Party’s (NCP) women’s wing, Jatiya Nari Shakti, has dissolved its central committee and announced a new one, seven and a half months after the organisation’s launch.
The changes have effectively removed Monira Sharmin from the organisation’s top leadership. The party has replaced her as convener with NCP Member of Parliament Mahmuda Alam Mitu, who previously served as member secretary.
Nusrat Tabassum, who previously held the position of chief organiser, the third-highest post, has become the new member secretary.
The NCP published a new, partially formed three-member committee of Nari Shakti on its verified Facebook page shortly after 12:15 pm on Sunday. The committee names Mahmuda and Nusrat, both NCP MPs elected to reserved seats for women, alongside Monjila Jhuma, who will serve as the organisation’s chief organiser.
Jatiya Nari Shakti was launched on 8 March, International Women’s Day. Initially, the party named Monira as convener, Mahmuda as member secretary and Nusrat as chief organiser.
On 18 April, the organisation announced its full 53-member committee. The party has now dissolved that committee.
A notice on the decision stated that NCP Convener Md Nahid Islam and Member Secretary Akhter Hossain had directed the party to cancel the existing Jatiya Nari Shakti committee and approve a new, partially formed convening committee. It also instructed the new committee to announce its full membership within the next 15 days.
In April, the NCP initially finalised Monira and Mahmuda as its candidates for reserved women’s seats in the 13th national parliamentary election. However, the Election Commission (EC) rejected Monira’s nomination papers during scrutiny.
Nusrat had also submitted nomination papers for a reserved seat. The EC initially refused to accept her papers because she attempted to submit them after the deadline. The commission later accepted her nomination following a court order. She ultimately became an MP.