EC picks 12 political parties in primary selection

The Election Commission has selected 12 political parties out of those seeking fresh registration after conducting a preliminary verification.

"The commission found the documents submitted by these parties to be accurate, which will now be checked at the field level," EC Secretary Md Jahangir Alam told reporters at the Nirbachon Bhaban in Agargaon on Tuesday.

The registration of political parties was discussed at an informal meeting of the commission, he said.

"Ninety-three parties applied for fresh registration. A committee headed by the joint secretary scrutinised these applications. After verification at the field level, the commission will reach a decision, which can be finalised by next June," he added.

Jahangir Alam further said, "I am unable to predict the number of parties that will survive the final scrutiny. In order to qualify, these parties are required to have the support of 200 voters at the upazila level, as well as offices in one-third of the districts throughout the country. The Election Commission will make its decision based on the final report."

The 12 parties selected after the primary scrutiny are – AB Party (Amar Bangladesh Party), Bangladesh Nationalist Movement, Bangladesh Humanist Party, Gono Odhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, Bangladesh Sanatan Party, Bangladesh Supreme Party, Bangladesh Labour Party, Bangladesh Minority Janata Party, Bangladesh People's Party, Democratic Party, and Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party.

Among the parties, Gono Odhikar Parishad is led by Dr Reza Kibria and Nurul Haque Nur, former vice president of Dhaka University Central Students' Union (Ducsu). Former Ducsu VP Mahmudur Rahman Manna is leading the Nagorik Oikya.

Meanwhile, the Jamaat-e-Islami-backed political party Bangladesh Development Party is not on the list. However, most of the AB Party leaders are former leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.

According to the Representation of the People Order, any party willing to contest the national parliamentary or local government elections, must have registration with the EC.

For the newly formed parties, it is mandatory to fulfil some preconditions to get registered such as having a central office, effective committees in at least one-third of the administrative districts and at least 200 voters in each of the 100 upazilas or metropolitan police stations.