Bangladesh: EC directs NCP to choose symbol from official list amid demand for 'Shapla'

Dhaka, Oct 1 (IANS) Bangladesh Election Commission’s (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, has stated that the National Citizen Party (NCP) must pick its electoral symbol from the EC's official list, amid the party's persistent demand for the allocation of Shapla (Water Lily) symbol, local media reported.

Addressing a press briefing in Dhaka earlier, Ahmed announced that both the NCP and the Bangladesh National League have been granted registration as political parties.

"A total of 143 parties had applied. Information regarding 22 of them was reviewed in the field. Of these, two parties — the NCP and the Bangladesh National League — have been approved for registration. In addition, 13 parties remain under review," Bangladesh's leading daily Dhaka Tribune quoted the EC official as saying.

Meanwhile, the NCP has not yet been assigned an electoral symbol, although the party's registration has been approved.

Regarding the NCP's insistence on the Shapla symbol, Ahmed said, "There is an unresolved matter concerning the electoral symbol of the National Citizen Party (NCP). The symbols they requested are not included in the schedule of our regulations on symbols. Therefore, we will issue a letter requesting them to confirm a symbol.

"Upon receiving their response, we will publish a notification mentioning the approved symbol. As for the Bangladesh National League, their choice of symbol is acceptable and finalised," he added.

Last month, NCP issued a stern warning regarding the next year's general elections, hours after the EC announced that the party wouldn't be allocated the 'Shapla' symbol.

Sarjis Alam, chief organiser of the NCP, took to his social media, stating, "Since there's no legal barrier, the NCP's symbol must be the Sapla. There is no other option. Otherwise, we will also see how the elections take place and who dreams of gaining power and enjoying the spoils."

Criticising the EC, he further said, "The party (NCP) had clearly requested the Shapla symbol at the time of its initial registration application, so whose responsibility was it to add shapla to the list of electoral symbols?"

The remarks came after the EC Secretary Ahmed stated that the 'Shapla' cannot be allocated as a party symbol as it is not included in the EC's reserved symbol list, which consists of 115 electoral symbols.

“The NCP will not be given the Shapla symbol. In the scheduled list of 115 approved symbols, Shapla is not included. The rule is that a party must choose from the reserved symbols. If Shapla is not on the list, then there is no opportunity to allocate it,” Ahmed stated.

Bangladesh is facing growing uncertainty and political turmoil ahead of next year's election.

The student leaders had earlier collaborated with Muhammad Yunus and several other radical political parties to overthrow the democratically-elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

--IANS

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