The Bangladesh Election Commission on Sunday witnessed a last-minute surge in applications by political parties for registration, with more than 70 parties applying on the final day to reach the total number of 147, for taking part in the upcoming 13th Jatiya Sangsad election.
The scene outside the EC office grew increasingly lively as party leaders continued to arrive there in person 鈥� some even by traditional horse-drawn carriages with their supporters in tow.
While some party representatives spoke openly to reporters, highlighting their proposed names and electoral symbols, others submitted their applications discreetly.
With interesting party names, all applicants claimed to have met the EC鈥檚 registration requirements and expressed confidence that their applications would be accepted.
The National Citizen Party, formed by student leaders who led a successful mass uprising that ousted the 15-year dictatorship of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, submitted its application to the Election Commission around 4:00pm, requesting 鈥榳ater lily鈥� as its electoral symbol.
After filing the application, NCP convener Nahid Islam told reporters that water lily was their first choice though they submitted two other symbols 鈥� 鈥榩en鈥� and 鈥榤obile phone鈥�.
He hoped that the NCP would be granted water lily, a symbol of the people 鈥攔epresenting the people鈥檚 uprising and ordinary rural Bengal 鈥� and said that, with this symbol, the party would engage with the public in the coming days and take part in the elections.
Nahid, however, hastened to add that they would decide whether the party would take part in the upcoming elections considering how much reform was achieved.聽聽
Replying to a question, he said that there was no legal restriction in the EC rules against using water lily as an electoral symbol.
He argued that other national symbols like 鈥榩addy sheaf鈥� are already in use by political parties, and since 鈥榡ackfruit鈥� 鈥� Bangladesh鈥檚 national fruit 鈥� is also used, there should be no issue with their request.
NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain, chief organiser Nasiruddin Patwari, chief coordinator for Northern Region Sarjis Alam, senior joint convener Samantha Sharmin, joint convener Arifur Rahman Tuhin, and others were present at the time.
Among the parties that submitted applications by Sunday afternoon were 鈥擩anatar Party Bangladesh, Ganodal, Bangladesh Janojote Party, Bangladesh Republic Party, Bangladesh Samata Party, Bangladesh Faraizi Andolan, Bangladesh Citizen Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Natun Bangladesh Party, Bangladesh Jagrata Janata Party, Bangladesh Ganobiplobi Party, National Awami Party (Bhasani NAP), Bangladesh Ethnic Minority Federation, Jonotar Dol, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Janata Party, Socialist Party of Bangladesh (M-L), Bangladesh Nagorik Party, Jatiya Nae Bichar Party, Bangladesh Democratic Party, National Democratic Party, and Aam Janagon Party.
Only registered political parties will be entitled to contest elections using an official symbol.
The EC originally invited registration applications from interested new political parties on March 10. The deadline for receiving applications was April 20.聽聽 By April 20, a total of 65 new parties had submitted applications.
Following requests from 46 parties, including NCP, the EC extended the deadline for registration by two months till June 22, which ended Sunday.
After the departure of the previous Election Commission in August 2024, the current commission, led by A M M Nasir Uddin, was formed on November 21.
Under the prevailing rules, each party must submit 10 key documents along with a non-refundable fee of Tk 5,000 for registration.
To qualify, a new party must maintain an active central office, a functional executive committee in at least one-third of the country鈥檚 administrative districts, and demonstrate support from at least 200 voters in 100 upazilas.
Additionally, an application must include the party鈥檚 constitution, manifesto (if available), rules and regulations (if applicable), logo and flag image, full list of its central committee members, and proof of a bank account with recent balance statement 鈥� all submitted on official party letterhead.
Once received, the EC will begin reviewing and verifying the applications.
If a party meets all conditions, it will be granted registration along with an electoral symbol. At present, 50 political parties are officially registered with the Election Commission.
The Bangladesh Awami League鈥檚 registration has recently been suspended while the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has regained its registration under a court order.
Since August 2024, six political parties have received EC registration under court directives.
