NCP Warns of Consequences if “Shapla” Symbol Not Granted in Election

Sarjis Alam, Chief Organiser (North) of the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), has issued a stern warning regarding the upcoming election, declaring that the party will see how the election proceeds if they are denied their official Shapla (water lily) symbol.

Social Media Statement

• On Tuesday, 23 September, at 3:15 PM, Sarjis Alam posted on his verified Facebook account addressing the issue.
• He wrote that the Election Commission Secretary had stated that the Shapla symbol is not in the list of markers, and therefore the NCP cannot be assigned it.
• Sarjis clarified that this is not a legal restriction, but purely because the symbol is not on the official list.

Sarjis questioned the authorities responsible for the missing symbol, stating: “On the day of registration, the Shapla symbol was explicitly mentioned. Then whose responsibility was it to ensure the Shapla marker was included in the list? Have they been merely performing theatrics at the Election Commission all this time, or blindly following the instructions of another institution, party, or agency?”

He also warned that the party would politically counter all forms of manipulation and insisted: “Since there is no legal impediment, the NCP’s symbol must be Shapla. There is no other option. Otherwise, we will observe how any election is conducted and who dreams of power and honey—let us see for ourselves.”

Election Commission’s Position

• Earlier on the same day, at the Election Commission office in Agargaon, Dhaka, Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told journalists that since the revised symbol list does not include Shapla, the NCP must submit a new symbol application to the commission.

This dispute underscores the tension between political parties and the Election Commission over electoral symbols, which are considered a key identifier for parties and candidates in the eyes of voters. The issue is expected to be resolved before the upcoming national election