The National Citizen Party's "Elite 10"

National Citizen Party Finalizes Leadership, Announces Formation Rally

The official announcement of the National Citizen Party’s formation will take place this afternoon at a rally on Manik Mia Avenue, in front of the National Parliament Building in Dhaka.

"Super Ten" Leadership Structure

Several founding members have referred to the party’s top 10 leadership positions as the "Super Ten."

• Md Nahid Islam – Convener
• Akhter Hossen – Member Secretary
• Nasiruddin Patwary – Chief Coordinator
• Samanta Shermeen – Senior Joint Convener
• Ariful Islam Adib – Senior Joint Convener
• Abdul Hannan Masud – Senior Joint Chief Coordinator
• Dr Tasnim Zara – Senior Joint Member Secretary
• Nahida Sarwar Niva – Senior Joint Member Secretary
• Sarjis Alam – Chief Organiser (Northern Region)
• Hasnat Abdullah – Chief Organiser (Southern Region)

Key Leadership Profiles

• Md Nahid Islam, the convener, was a leading figure in the student movement that led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina. A sociology graduate from Dhaka University, he was a member of the advisory council of the interim government before resigning last Tuesday to take on his new role.

• Akhter Hossen, the party’s member secretary, was formerly the social service secretary of the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu). An alumnus of DU's law department, he gained national attention for his solo hunger strike against exam question leaks. He was a key organizer in the Students Against Discrimination movement.

• Nasiruddin Patwary, chief coordinator, first came into prominence in 2020 after staging a 40-day hunger strike against border killings. He was previously active in left-wing student politics and later joined the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party.

• Samanta Shermeen, senior joint convener, was involved in left-leaning student politics and was a former member of Rashtrachinta. She played a major role in the Anti-Oppression Students' Alliance against alleged campus violence by the Chhatra League.

• Ariful Islam Adib, senior joint convener, is an alumnus of Jahangirnagar University and a former general secretary of Chhatra Odhikar Parishad. He coordinated an anti-fascist coalition of 16 student organizations in 2023.

• Abdul Hannan Masud, senior joint chief coordinator, was one of the coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination movement. He is currently an undergraduate student at Dhaka University's Institute of Modern Languages.

• Dr Tasnim Zara, senior joint member secretary, is an MBBS graduate from Dhaka Medical College and an Oxford scholar. Recognized as a "vaccine luminary" by the UK government, she played a key role in providing medical aid during the student uprising.

• Nahida Sarwar Niva, senior joint member secretary, was a key figure in the 2018 quota reform movement, the road safety protests, and the Students Against Discrimination movement. She graduated from Dhaka University's microbiology department.

• Sarjis Alam, chief organiser (Northern Region), was elected as a Ducsu hall union member from the Chhatra League panel in 2019. He is well-known for his debating skills and was a key leader in the July movement.

• Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (Southern Region), gained recognition after staging a hunger strike in front of Dhaka University’s registrar building, protesting against administrative inefficiencies. He studied English at Dhaka University.

The National Citizen Party emerges as a youth-driven political force, shaped by individuals with strong activist backgrounds and a history of civic engagement. The rally this afternoon is expected to mark a significant moment in the country’s political landscape.