Nahid Islam, convener of the National Citizens Party (NCP), said President Mohammad Sahabuddin should not only resign but be arrested and brought to trial. He made the remarks on Thursday evening at a rally organized by the district NCP at the Fouzdari Chowk in Jamalpur city, saying the president had supported the July movement's violence and faced corruption allegations.

Nahid Islam said the people of Bangladesh want a capable, neutral and guardian-like figure as president and warned that appointing an unqualified person would erode any remaining public trust in the government. He criticized the government for failing to deliver an earlier promise to secure employment within 18 months, saying it had not created any jobs in five months and accused it of extortion, land grabbing and looting instead.

At the rally he demanded implementation of the referendum result, creation of youth employment and assurance of basic rights; NCP leaders also participated in a student rally at Jamalpur University of Science and Technology and later led a procession through the city ending at Fouzdari Chowk.