NCP leader defends women's role in party following Samanta's resignation

National Citizen Party (NCP) leader Sadia Farzana Dina has defended women's political participation within the party and criticised the pursuit of personal political interests, shortly after joint convener Samanta Sharmin resigned, accusing the party of sidelining women and abandoning its founding principles.

Although Dina did not mention Samanta by name, her Facebook post on Thursday evening appeared to respond to the controversy surrounding the resignation.

“Women who are merely media personalities or Facebook celebrities are not the sole claimants to women's representation in society,” Dina wrote.

She argued that women had been involved in politics since the NCP's inception and continued to play active roles in the party.

Dina also warned against using the party's political platform to build a personal political profile at the expense of other women.

“Using the party's political platform to build a personal political image and obstructing the decision-making process would be a serious betrayal of other women in the party,” she wrote.

She added that creating problems within the party for personal interests or tarnishing its reputation would not benefit the organisation or its leadership.

The remarks came hours after Samanta announced her resignation, citing concerns over the NCP's alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, its reliance on established political forces, the marginalisation of women in leadership and the restructuring of its central committee without a party council.

Samanta alleged that women had been excluded from meaningful decision-making despite their contributions to the party and the movement that preceded its formation.

She also said that even if the NCP withdrew from its alliance with Jamaat, she no longer believed the party could establish an independent political identity outside Bangladesh's traditional political culture.

Dina's remarks reflect contrasting positions within the NCP over women's representation and internal decision-making following Samanta's departure.