Dhaka, Feb. 28 -- The student-led National Citizen Party, or NCP, has officially embarked on its journey to establish a "new political paradigm" in Bangladesh.

The rally kicked off at 4:15pm on Friday at Dhaka's Manik Mia Avenue with the recitation of a verse from the Quran. It was followed by recitals from the Bhagavad Gita, the Tripitaka, and the Bible.

A rendition of Bangladesh's national anthem then rang out at the venue.

Political leaders, diplomats, and other invited guests were seated in front of the stage set up for the event. After that were seats for the families of those killed during the mass uprising in July and August.

At the start of the event, a speaker said that the NCP was making its debut on the political stage in t...