NCP seeks EC registration, proposes ‘shapla’ as election symbol

The National Citizens' Party (NCP) has submitted an application to the Election Commission (EC) for official registration, requesting the Shapla (water lily) as its primary electoral symbol.

A seven-member delegation, led by the party’s Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, submitted the application on Sunday (June 22) at 4 PM—the final day for registration submissions.

Following the submission, Akhtar Hossain told reporters that the party had met all the necessary conditions, including forming district and sub-district committees, establishing a central office, and fulfilling membership requirements. “We submitted the registration application before the 5 PM deadline. A few remaining documents are en route and will be submitted today,” he said.

According to Article 90B of the Representation of the People Order, 1972, a political party must fulfill at least one of the following three conditions to be eligible for registration, win at least one parliamentary seat after independence using its own party symbol, secure at least 5% of the total votes in the constituencies it contested and maintain an active central committee with a functional central office, have offices in at least one-third of the country’s districts, and in 100 upazilas or metropolitan police stations—each with at least 200 registered voter-members.

NCP’s Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwari said the party had prioritized Shapla as its preferred symbol. “As alternatives, we’ve also proposed the pen and mobile phone symbols. Based on feedback from over 500,000 people nationwide, the majority favor Shapla as the NCP’s election symbol,” he noted.

Patwari further claimed that the party aims to secure 300 out of 400 parliamentary seats in the upcoming general election and form a national government.