EC’s transparency and neutrality questioned before polls: Sarjis

Sarjis Alam, chief organiser for the northern region of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has said the Election Commission’s transparency and neutrality are already being questioned ahead of the upcoming national polls.

He alleged that the EC recently declared it would not allocate the ‘Shapla’ symbol to the party, without giving any explanation. “In fact, they have no legal justification. Clearly, they are under pressure not to approve the symbol. If an independent body like the EC bows to pressure over symbols, then transparency and neutrality are being questionable even before the election begins,” he said.

Sarjis made the remarks on Saturday, September 27, while speaking to journalists at Mokbular Rahman Government College in Panchagarh town, where he had come to attend a debate festival.

The NCP leader said: “We applied for the Shapla symbol, and since there is no legal bar, we expect to receive it.”

He added that the chapter of the Awami League is “closed” in Bangladesh. “At times they are parading with hired processions, but these are not Awami League rallies. Often they claim Awami League still has 30 or 50 percent support, but this was never true. If they truly had such support, their people would have been in the field during the July uprising.”

On the possible merger between Gonodhikar Parishad and NCP, Sarjis said: “Since we share similar ideologies and represent the same young generation, we have been discussing ways to fight the election together. People want to see the youth united, and if we unite at the political level, the grassroots will unite too. Talks are progressing positively. We hope to participate jointly in the election and enter parliament with the people’s support.”