The Election Commission on Tuesday issued separate notifications over awarding registration to three political parties, including the National Citizen Party (NCP).
According to the notifications, the Commission decided to award registration to NCP with the electoral symbol of ‘Water Lily Bud’, while Bangladesh Aam Janagan Party with ‘Handshake’ symbol and Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist) with ‘Sewing Scissor’ symbol.
The notifications will be published in newspapers on Wednesday, inviting objections, if any, against the registration of the parties. If anyone has an objection against the registration of the parties, the person must inform the Election Commission by November 12.
Later, the Commission will finally recognise them as the registered parties following settling objections if any against them.
As per the notification, Nahid Islam and Akhtar Hossain are respectively the convener and the member secretary of NCP formed by the youths who led the 2024 mass uprising that toppled Sheikh Hasina’s regime.
Mohammad Rafiqul Ameen and Fatima Tasnim are respectively the convener and the member secretary of Bangladesh Aam Janagan Party, while Masud Rana and Dr Joydeep Bhattacharya are respectively the coordinator and the member of Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist).
The three parties were registered under Article 90B of the Representation of the People Order 1972.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said the Commission considered that these three parties are eligible for registration by showing ‘leniency’ over the fulfillment of registration conditions.
“We’ve verified the authenticity of their documents submitted with the registration applications. The Commission considered that these three parties are eligible for registration,” he told reporters at Nirbachan Bhaban in the capital.
Noting that there is a court order to show leniency to some extent here (over fulfillment of registration conditions), he said the Election Commission has shown leniency during consideration of awarding registration to them.
The EC Secretary said a little shortfall was ignored in one of the two conditions -- having their district-level offices in at least one third of 64 districts and having Upazila-level offices in at least 100 upazilas— to consider them eligible for registration.
Aam Janatar Dal member secretary Tarique Rahman alone sat on a hunger strike to death in demanding the registration of his party.
Talking to the media, Tarique said he started the hunger strike as his party had not been registered. “We tried to fulfill the conditions, but our application was rejected. They (EC) are inhumane,” he said.
Earlier on September 30 last, the EC Secretary said the two parties – National Citizen Party-NCP and Bangladesh Jatiya League – preliminarily met the registration conditions. The applications of 12 other parties are under further review.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Jatiya League was dropped from the list of eligible parties.
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On March 10, 2025 the Commission invited applications from the new political parties by April 20 next to get registered ahead of the 13th parliamentary election.
The EC received applications from 143 parties seeking registration within the extended deadline of June 22 last. After scrutiny, 22 parties were shortlisted for field-level inquiries to verify the authenticity of their claims of fulfillment of registration conditions.
A total of 57 parties have so far obtained registration, but five of them—Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Freedom Party, Oikyabodha Nagorik Andolan, PDP and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa)—later lost their status due to different grounds and court orders.
But Jamaat and Jagpa got back their registration following the court orders. Besides, the registration of Awami League remains suspended.