6 parties want to run on AL’s boat symbol
The demand for using the ruling Awami League's electoral symbol "boat" seems high among the registered political parties, as the opposition BNP and allies remain unyielding in their demand for polls under a non-partisan administration.
At least six political parties have directly informed the Election Commission that they want to contest the polls with the boat symbol.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party's chief patron and Leader of the Opposition Raushan Ershad in a letter to the commission said the party has decided to participate in the election under the AL-led grand alliance, like in the past three general polls.
She added that the JP-nominated candidates will have the liberty to choose whether to run with the JP's symbol "plough" or the grand alliance's boat.
On the other hand, JP Secretary General Mujibul Haque Chunnu in letter to the EC said party Chairman GM Quader will be the signing authority of the party's nomination seekers.
Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh too has told the EC they want to participate in the polls as part of the ruling grand alliance.
The six parties who want to use "boat" as their symbol alongside their own are Workers Party of Bangladesh, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Inu), Samyabadi Dal, Jatiya Party (JP-Monju), Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, and Ganotanti Party, EC sources said.
Yesterday was the last day for registered parties to inform the commission whether they want to take part in the polls under an alliance and what symbol they want to use.
EC Additional Secretary Ashok Kumar Debnath told reporters that AL had informed the commission it would be participating in the polls under an alliance.
AL President Sheikh Hasina will sign the nomination papers of her party contestants as the signing authority, he added.
According to the EC's recently announced schedule, the upcoming polls are slated for January 7.
Workers Party of Bangladesh General Secretary Fazle Hossain Badshah told The Daily Star they informed the EC about using AL's electoral symbol "boat" under the alliance.
He added that some other candidates of their party would use their symbol -- "hammer" – and will contest separately.
The Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal faction led by Hasanul Haque Inu told the EC they have made a similar decision, said Shazzad Hossain, the party's deputy office secretary.
Bangladesh Tarikat Federation Joint Secretary General Md Ali Farooqi said they also informed the EC about using the boat symbol.
Meanwhile, Trinamool BNP in a letter to the EC said components of Islamic Pragatashil Jote will take part in the polls using its symbol.