Staff Correspondent

At least 147 new political parties, including National Citizen Party-NCP, applied seeking registration with the Election Commission within the extended deadline that expired on Sunday.

Of them, 82 political parties that applied during the extended time since April 20 last, and the rest 65 parties applied before April 20 after EC on March 10 invited applications from new political parties.

With the 82 parties, a total of 147 parties sought to be registered with the Election Commission this time, said EC officials.

NCP was among many political parties that applied for the registration on the last day.

An NCP delegation, led by its member secretary Member Secretary Akhter Hossain, went to Nirbachan Bhaban at 4pm and submitted their application seeking it to be registered with the commission.

The new party also submitted the necessary papers as documents in support of their application.

Later, NCP convener Nahid Islam went to the EC and met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin.

“We on behalf of NCP have submitted the application to the Election Commission fulfilling all registration related conditions,” said Nahid Islam while talking to reporters after the meeting.

Noting that they fulfilled the conditions set by the commission, he said NCP formed its 105 upazila-level and 25 district-level committees and submitted all the documents to the EC.

“We are hopeful that the National Citizen Party-NCP will get its registration as soon as possible," said the party chief.

He said they have applied for one of the three symbols – Water Lily, Pen or Mobile Phone – to be used as party symbol.

“Our first choice is Water Lily. We hope that NCP will get Water Lily as a symbol of the people and the mass uprising and the rural Bengal,” he said.

In reply to a question how a national emblem like Water Lily could be allotted to a political party, Nahid Islam said the reviewed EC laws and rules and there is no such bar in the laws.

Noting that the national fruit ‘Jackfruit’ is the symbol of a political party, he said, “In that case, we did not see any problem, so we applied for it (Water Lily)."

Nahid also argued that the national emblem is not just the water lily.  “Water lily, sheaf of paddy and stars – all are part of the national emblem,” he added.

Earlier, NCP member secretary Akhter Hossain said they submitted the application fulfilling all registration related conditions in line with the RPO.

NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary expressed optimism that their party would be able to secure 300 parliamentary seats out of the 400 ones recommended by the Constitutional Reform or National Consensus Commission in the future.

“In this parliament, out of the 400 seats of the Reform or Consensus Commission in the future, the NCP will gain 300 seats in the house. And this time the NCP will form a national government in the parliament,” he said.

Partwary said the Water Lily symbol will win the hearts of the people in the next parliamentary election. “A new government will be formed under the NCP’s leadership,” he went on.

Replying to a question, NCP wants reconstitution of the Election Commission in a bid to strengthen it.

“The Election Commission is a constitutional institution. This constitutional institution has been destroyed in the last 15 years. But the persons who are in the constitutional institution need to be restructured (changed), the rules and regulations need to be changed, said Patwary.

The NCP delegation members also include its chief organiser (southern region) Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser (northern region) Sarjis Alam and senior joint convener Samantha Sharmin.

The other parties that submitted the registration application on the last day include Janatar Party Bangladesh (JPB), Ganadal, Bangladesh Janajote Party (BAJPA), Bangladesh Republican Party (BRP), Bangladesh Samata Party, Bangladesh Faraezi Andolon, Bangladesh Citizen Party, Islami Oikya Jote, Notun Bangladesh Party (NBP), Bangladesh Jagrat Janata Party, Bangladesh Gano Biplobi Party, National Awami Party (Bhasani NAP), Bangladesh Khudra Nrigoshthi Federation, Janatar Dal, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Janata Party, Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal (ML), Bangladesh Nagorik Party (BNP), Jatiyo Nyaybichar Party, Bangladesh Democratic Party (BDP) and National Democratic Party (NDP).

JPB seeks ‘elephant’ as symbol

Janata Party Bangladesh (JPB) applied for registration with a request to use the elephant as its electoral symbol.

Submitting the application at Nirbachan Bhaban, JPB Secretary General Shawkat Mahmud said, “We’ve filed the application for political party registration. The current registration rules are difficult to comply with. Although the Electoral Reform Commission has proposed changes, those haven’t been implemented yet. Even so, we’ve submitted our application under the existing rules and expect to be registered.”

He said JPB supports reforms and would cooperate with the EC if rule changes are implemented.

Janatar Dal wants ‘key’ as symbol

Another applicant, Janatar Dal, filed its application requesting the key as its symbol.

Jannatar Dal convener Brig Gen (retd) Shamim Kamal and member secretary Azam Khan submitted the application. “We’ve fulfilled all registration conditions and formed district and upazila committees as required by the law. The rest now depends on the Commission,” Shamim Kamal told reporters after filing their application.

NDP seeks ‘Tiger’ symbol

National Democratic Party (NDP), which once was led by late BNP leader Salahuddin Kader Chowdhury, applied for registration and sought ‘Tiger’ as its electoral symbol, said NDP president Kazi Abu Taher.

On March 10, the EC invited applications from new political parties seeking registration by 20 April. A total of 65 parties applied within the deadline. The commission later extended the deadline until June 22.

New political parties are registered under Article 90A of the Representation of the People Order, 1972. If a party is registered with the EC, it can contest the national election with its own electoral symbol.

Now, 50 parties are registered with the EC. The registration of Bangladesh Awami League remains suspended, while Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami is set to regain its registration following a court order.