Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, adviser for the Ministry of Local Government and a student representative of the July uprising, has criticized the Election Commission’s decision to retain the Awami League’s boat symbol on the list of electoral symbols despite the party’s activities being banned, terming the move “ill-considered” and calling on the commission to review its decision.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday after a workshop hosted by the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), Asif said retaining the symbol contradicts the spirit of the July uprising.
“It is unfortunate that even after the July mass uprising, we are again in the month of July discussing whether the boat symbol should remain, despite the Awami League (activities) being banned,” he said.
“With all due respect to the Election Commission, which is a constitutional institution, I speak not as a member of the government, but as a citizen of Bangladesh and on behalf of those who gave their lives in July – and from that standpoint, I consider this decision to be extremely ill-considered.”
He continued: “I strongly urge the Election Commission to reconsider. Retaining the boat symbol – used to rob millions of citizens of their voting rights over three consecutive elections – is directly at odds with the spirit of the July uprising and the stance of a government that has banned the party associated with it.”
Earlier, on Tuesday night, Asif had criticized the Election Commission in a Facebook post, questioning: “On what grounds have you sent the cursed boat symbol to the Law Ministry for inclusion in the revised schedule?”
Ahead of the 13th parliamentary election, the Election Commission has decided to retain 115 electoral symbols after amending its election conduct regulations. A draft of the amended rules has been sent to the Law Ministry for vetting.
Following the restoration of the Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration, its “scales” symbol has also been included in the list.
Although the Awami League’s registration remains suspended, its boat symbol remains in the preserved list.
On Tuesday, the commission removed the boat symbol from its website.
However, EC Secretary Md Akhtar Ahmed later clarified that while the symbol is no longer displayed online to avoid confusion, it remains officially preserved in the schedule.
Speaking to journalists following an informal meeting with the chief election commissioner and other commissioners, he said: “Though the boat symbol is retained in the official schedule of symbols, it has been taken off the website to prevent public misunderstanding.”
He further claimed that there was no external pressure on the Election Commission, adding: “The commission felt it would be better to remove it from the website.”
