National Citizen Party (NCP) Convenor Nahid Islam has said the explanation provided by the Election Commission (EC) regarding the exclusion of the election symbol ‘Shapla’ from the list is not acceptable.
He expressed this reaction to journalists late on Wednesday.
Nahid Islam said: “We have already discussed this with the chief election commissioner. The issue of national symbols is not limited to the water lily; it is a package. It includes the paddy sheaf, the star. Both the paddy sheaf and the star are symbols of two other parties. If national flower is a concern, then the national fruit is also being used by another party. Then why not the national flower? The explanation given by the EC is not acceptable.”
He said doubts are emerging about whether the EC is acting impartially. “We have been saying from the very beginning that the EC is not acting neutrally. It is leaning towards one particular party. This is becoming more apparent day by day. If this continues, the Election Commission will lose its credibility in holding a fair election.”
Nahid Islam also alleged that the Election Commission is creating obstacles in the registration of a political party. “Just when we are working at the grassroots and a mass wave in favour of the NCP is forming across the country, the EC suddenly issues a decision without any explanation that the water lily symbol cannot be used. If we receive a clearer explanation from the EC, we may speak further on the matter.”