The alluring magic of three symbols

Separate electoral symbols were reserved for all the political parties when they registered with the Election Commission in 2008. Their candidates are supposed to run for elections with own symbols.

But most of them are willing to borrow symbols from major political parties in the hope that it will ensure their win in the next parliamentary polls.

At least 22 out of the 39 registered political parties have shown interest in the symbols of Awami League or BNP or Jatiya Party.

Of them, 11 parties want to join the race with the BNP's “sheaf of paddy”. They are components of either BNP-led 20-party combine or Jatiya Oikyafront, a new alliance of BNP and several other parties.

And nine others want to use Awami League's “boat”. They are either part of the AL-led 14-party combine or have recently joined the grand alliance led by the ruling party, EC documents show. 

Two other registered parties want Jatiya Party's “plough”, which is set to emerge as the third prominent symbol in some areas as the party may not field candidates in all 300 constituencies.

The party, which has announced its plan to contest the polls with the AL-led grand alliance, is bargaining with the ruling party over seat sharing. It wants the AL to leave 100 out of 300 seats for its candidates.

All of them have already informed the EC about their preference for electoral symbols.

Of the registered parties, 11 are yet to make it clear whether they will contest the polls with own symbols or borrow from others.

According to the provisions of the Representation of the People Order (RPO), a registered political party may use electoral symbol of any other registered party for its candidates in the polls. But even after winning the polls using symbols of others, they will be considered MPs of own parties.

According to the RPO provisions, a political party is not eligible for registration with the EC if its aims and objectives stipulated in its charter run counter to the country's constitution and RPO provisions.

But the electoral laws do not fix any criteria regarding forging alliances.  

Political analysts say willingness of smaller parties to use electoral symbols of major ones exposes an unhealthy practice in the country's politics.

For example, a number of Islamic political parties that have been propagating for establishing Islamic rule in the country want to use AL's electoral symbol. Their goals and ideologies do not match the policies and ideologies of the AL.

Similarly, some parties that have been propagating for socialism and secularism are interested in BNP's electoral symbol.

Of the two factions of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, one is with AL and willing to use “boat” and the other is with Oikyafront and interested in “sheaf of paddy”.

JSD was launched in 1972 by a group that split away from AL's student wing Chhatra League and emerged as a force opposing the government headed by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Its aim was to form a new left democratic national government for facilitating establishment of a socialist state.

The Jatiya Party was formed in 1986 under the leadership of the then military ruler Gen HM Ershad, comprising factions of BNP, Muslim League and some other parties.

Ershad leads the mainstream JP party, which took part in the 2008 national election from AL-led grand alliance. Its two breakaway factions are in the BNP-led alliance and one is with the AL.

However, the AL and BNP maintain that entering into an alliance with smaller parties irrespective of ideologies and allowing them to use symbols are only “electoral strategies”. This is not “compromising with principles”, said leaders of the two parties earlier on several occasions.        

Former election commissioner Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain said: “There is no ideology or ethics in forming any alliance. Both the major parties are competing to increase the number of components of respective alliances."

He thinks the EC should bring amendments to the RPO setting criteria for formation of alliances. 

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, says electoral symbols of political parties are more than brands for commercial purpose; in most cases they represent the respective party's history, heritage, values and spirit.

For some, if not all, it is something sacred -- not for trading to secure votes or achieve any temporary gain, he said. 

"Therefore, it will be self-defeating and disrespectful to itself if the party, for the sake of vote trading, allows its symbol to be used randomly by temporary bedfellows who can be ideologically poles apart," Iftekhar said.

"The parties and the EC should find alternative arrangements for such electioneering and maintain the dignity of the party symbols," he said.

Parliamentary affairs expert Nizam Ahmed, a professor at public administration department of Chittagong University, said, "No ideology works behind the formation of alliances. The main objective is to win the polls. It's an unhealthy and ominous sign for future politics."

This trend, he fears, may generate a new crisis after the election.

The sale of a huge number of nomination forms by the parties also suggests that rich people's enthusiasm to get elected as MPs.

 As many as 12,000 nomination forms were sold among aspiring candidates by AL, BNP, Jatiya Party and some smaller parties. Of them, AL and BNP and Jatiya Party sold around 11,000.

"Everyone wants to become lawmakers and for this they do not hesitate to forge alliance with anyone regardless of ideological differences,” Prof Nizam said.

“I do not consider it a healthy political trend."