The National Citizen Party (NCP) has once again written to the Election Commission (EC) requesting the inclusion of the “Shapla” symbol in the list of electoral symbols for the party.
In an official letter sent to the EC on Wednesday, the NCP reiterated its appeal, proposing that the symbol could either be a “Shapla,” “White Shapla,” or “Red Shapla.”
The letter, signed by NCP’s Convenor Nahid Islam, argues that the “Shapla” symbol is widely recognised and would be appropriate for the party.
The NCP first formed as a political entity on February 28 and has been in regular discussions with the Election Commission regarding electoral law, party registration, and other election-related matters, including voter rights for expatriates.
In June 2025, the NCP officially applied for registration as a political party and also requested the allocation of the “Shapla” symbol.
However, the EC denied the request, citing the absence of “Shapla” in the official list of symbols. Following this, NCP leaders raised objections, questioning the legality of the decision, and argued that if the “Shapla” symbol was not allocated, they would take further steps.
In the recent letter, the NCP argued that after the request was made, the public began to recognise the “Shapla” symbol as their own, especially after the party’s rally in July, where supporters across the country brought “Shapla” flowers to welcome the NCP’s leaders.
Earlier, the EC had informed the party that “Shapla” could not be included as it is part of the national emblem.
However, in a meeting with the EC on July 13, the NCP contested this explanation, asserting that there was no legal barrier to using the “Shapla” symbol under Article 4(3) of Bangladesh’s Constitution and other existing laws.
The letter also referenced previous precedents, where political parties were granted national symbols, including the “sheaf of paddy” symbol for Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and the “Star” symbol for Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD).
The NCP contended that the Election Commission could similarly allocate “Shapla” as a symbol.
Furthermore, the NCP pointed to the allocation of national fruits like the “Jackfruit” for the Bangladesh Jatiya Party and the “Golden Fiber” for another party named Trinamool BNP, arguing that “Shapla,” as the national flower, should have no legal impediment to being listed as a party symbol.
The NCP leaders have criticised the EC’s decision, calling it arbitrary and claiming that it reflects a biased attitude towards their party. They also stated that the EC’s stance raises concerns about conducting free, fair, and impartial elections with a level playing field for all parties.
The NCP concluded by urging the Election Commission to amend the election guidelines and allocate any of the “Shapla,” “White Shapla,” or “Red Shapla” as a party symbol for the NCP.
They expressed hope that the commission would reconsider its decision and abandon its prior stance on the issue.
