NCP adamant on ‘Shapla’ symbol, writes to EC again
The party states that the ‘Shapla’ has built a strong emotional connection with the public and cannot be replaced by any other symbol from the EC’s list
The National Citizens Party (NCP) has reiterated its firm stance in a letter to the Election Commission (EC) Secretariat, demanding allocation of its preferred electoral symbol, the 'Shapla' (water lily).
The letter, signed by NCP Convener Nahid Islam, was emailed to the EC's senior secretary today (7 October), in response to a previous EC communication dated 30 September.
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In the letter, the NCP reaffirmed its position, stating that the 'Shapla' has built a strong emotional connection with the public and cannot be replaced by any other symbol from the EC's list.
According to the letter, the EC had earlier initiated the process of finalising new symbols for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election under Rule 9(1) of the Election Conduct Rules, 2008.
The NCP claimed that a committee had prepared a final draft of 150 symbols, and during a meeting with an EC official on 4 June, the party was assured that the 'Shapla' would be included in the final list.
Subsequently on 22 June, the NCP submitted its application for registration, requesting reservation of the 'Shapla' symbol. On 3 August, the party followed up with a letter prioritising its preferences as Shapla, white Shapla or red Shapla.
However, the NCP alleged that the EC failed to act on its applications of 3 and 24 September, leaving them pending, and instead issued the 30 September letter — which, the party claims, has "no legal standing."
Legal opinions cited
The NCP's letter stated that 101 lawyers across the country, including senior Supreme Court advocates, have affirmed there is no legal barrier to allocating the 'Shapla' symbol.
The party also cited Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, who reportedly said in a recent interview, "I do not think that giving the 'Shapla' symbol to the NCP poses any major legal complication. It can be given."
Nagorik Oikya President Mahmudur Rahman Manna has also publicly supported the allocation of the 'Shapla' symbol to the NCP, the letter noted.
Claims of unfair treatment
The NCP alleged that the EC's refusal to include 'Shapla' in the final list of symbols reflects a biased and arbitrary attitude toward the party. It argued that such behaviour undermines the commission's credibility as an independent constitutional body.
Furthermore, the NCP accused the EC of deliberately delaying its registration process and engaging in "unwanted, illegal, discriminatory, and arbitrary conduct" by withholding the symbol.
The party claimed this amounts to an attempt to prevent it from fully participating in electoral activities, thereby questioning the EC's commitment to ensuring a level playing field.
