Prominent physician and social activist Dr Tasnim Jara has resigned from the National Citizen Party (NCP), stepping down from her position as senior joint member secretary of the party.

NCP joint member secretary and publicity secretary Mushfiqus Salehin confirmed the resignation on Saturday night.

Dr Jara had earlier collected nomination papers from the NCP with the intention of contesting the Dhaka-9 constituency. However, in an emotional and candid post on her verified Facebook page this evening, she announced her decision to contest the upcoming election as an independent candidate, rather than representing any party or alliance.

Addressing residents of Khilgaon, Sabujbagh and Mugda, Dr Jara wrote: “I am your daughter. I was born and raised in Khilgaon. My dream was to serve the people of my area from a party platform. But considering the current realities, I have decided not to contest the election as a candidate of any particular party or alliance.”

Acknowledging that stepping away from the party would leave her without an organised political force or institutional protection, she said, “You are my only strength. I remain firmly committed to the promise I made—to build a new political culture based on honesty and integrity.”

As an initial challenge to sustaining her independent candidacy, Dr Jara announced that she would begin collecting signatures from 4,693 registered voters of Dhaka-9, the minimum requirement to contest as an independent candidate. She said the signature collection drive would begin on Sunday (December 28) and urged local residents to come forward spontaneously in support.

In a move widely seen as an example of political integrity, she also announced that anyone who had previously donated to her campaign believing she would run as a party-backed candidate could claim a refund. She shared a special form to facilitate the process.

Dr Jara’s sudden resignation from a top position in the NCP and her decision to contest independently in one of the capital’s key constituencies have sparked fresh discussions within Dhaka’s political circles