Shafiqur Signals Ministerial Role for NCP’s Nahid in Alliance Power Plan

Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said that Nahid will fly the plane on February 8 at the DIT Project playground in Badda, with the alliance leaders sitting in the back. Instead of making false promises, the Jamaat-led coalition will concentrate on using its resources to advance the country.

Addressing a campaign rally, Shafiqur said Nahid would be “in the plane’s cockpit, with alliance leaders behind him,” a remark widely interpreted as a pledge of ministerial responsibility. The statement suggests that the NCP, a relatively new entrant to national politics, would be positioned at the core of decision-making within the alliance rather than remaining a junior partner.

The comment comes amid preparations for the upcoming parliamentary election, where Jamaat-e-Islami is contesting as part of a multi-party coalition that includes the NCP. Seat-sharing arrangements and public endorsements have become central to the alliance’s campaign strategy, aimed at projecting unity and a credible alternative to the ruling establishment.

Politically, the “cockpit” metaphor serves multiple purposes. For the NCP, it reassures supporters that the party’s reform-oriented agenda would translate into real authority if the alliance forms the government. For Jamaat, the statement helps broaden its appeal by highlighting cooperation with newer political actors and signaling openness to shared leadership.

Nahid Islam has emerged as a prominent figure advocating governance reforms, accountability, and institutional change following recent political shifts. His elevation within the alliance reflects an effort to attract younger voters and those seeking structural political reform, while also strengthening the alliance’s public image.

However, analysts note that such pre-election assurances remain symbolic unless followed by clear policy commitments and transparent power-sharing frameworks. As the campaign intensifies, Shafiqur Rahman’s statement is likely to be scrutinized as an indicator of how authority would actually be distributed within a potential alliance government.

At the rally led by the NCP convener, Maulana Mamunul Haque, the Ameer of Bangladesh Khilafat-e-Majlis, gave a speech.

During the election, voters will abandon corrupt politicians, extortionists, land grabbers, and serial litigants, the Jamaat leader underlined. After experiencing oppression, we humbly ask that you refrain from oppressing others. Those who have suffered should be aware of that pain. However, we are seeing an alarming increase in land grabs, extortion, and pointless lawsuits.