National Citizen Party (NCP) Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary on Monday reiterated that the party must be registered under the Shapla, white Shapla, and red Shapla symbols despite what he called conspiracies surrounding the matter.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, he said they had discussed registration, electoral symbols, and expatriate voting rights.
Patwary said the commission would soon issue a notification with a positive decision, adding that the party expected “good news” after July. He stressed that the NCP would not move away from its demand, warning that if the Election Commission failed to comply, the party “knew how to assert its demand.”
Asked how they would secure the Shapla symbol since it was not included in the EC’s revised list, he said amendments could be made again at any time. He reaffirmed that the NCP would continue with Shapla as its electoral symbol.
Patwary also said the party expected to win around 150 constituencies, with nominations including former army officers, as well as women, farmers, and workers involved in the July uprising. Discussions on candidate selection were still ongoing, he added.
On possible cooperation with the Gono Odhikar Parishad, he said the NCP’s name and symbol would remain unchanged, while other parties’ names and symbols would be dissolved under the NCP banner.
He described the move as part of a plan to form a larger political party, saying that, in time, many groups would unite under the NCP.