A day laborer from Dinajpur district named Ujjwal Roy has submitted an application to the Election Commission (EC) seeking to register a new political party under the name 'Awami League.'
This development follows recent calls to ban Banglaesh Awami League due to its alleged involvement in the mass killings during the July mass uprising last year.
On Monday, Ujjwal Roy applied with the EC’s registration section.
The following day, EC Additional Secretary KM Ali Newaz confirmed the submission during a press conference at the Election Bhaban.
According to Newaz, Roy claims to be the president of the proposed “Awami League” and has requested the electoral symbols of either the boat or the hilsa fish.
The application lists the party’s office address as “Bangabandhu Avenue” and indicates a formation date of March 24, with the committee’s tenure ending on April 30, though the year is unspecified.
The application identifies Ujjwal Roy as a resident of Ramchandrapur Village in Parbatipur, Dinajpur, son of Naresh Chandra Roy and Parul Roy.
Local representatives, however, have cast doubt on his political affiliations.
Mazedul Islam, the councilor of Ramchandrapur Union, described Roy as a day laborer aged between 25-30, saying that the community is unaware of any political connections he might have.
Despite these assertions, Roy has expressed his ambition to contest the Dinajpur-5 constituency, encompassing Fulbari-Parbatipur.
Roy acknowledged his current lack of resources to establish nationwide party committees, stating his intention to proceed independently for the time being.
Bangladesh Awami League, established in 1949, has played a pivotal role in the nation’s politics, notably leading the country to independence in 1971.
However, the party has faced criticism and calls for its ban following the events of the July mass uprising last year, which resulted in approximately 1,500 deaths and led to the ousting of Sheikh Hasina, who subsequently sought refuge in India.
The interim government, headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has since been tasked with organizing elections and addressing the nation’s political instability.
The EC will now scrutinize Roy’s application to determine its adherence to the established criteria.
