NCP’s Sarjis Alam questions Election Commission’s neutrality

NCP’s North Region Chief Coordinator Sarjis Alam has cast doubt on the impartiality of Bangladesh’s Election Commission, accusing it of acting under pressure to deny his party the Shapla electoral symbol.

Speaking to reporters in Thakurgaon late Friday (October 3) after a meeting with party coordinators and organisers, he said: “Legally, there is no barrier to granting the Shapla symbol. As an independent body, the Commission must not take partisan decisions. If it bows to pressure, how can we trust it to ensure free and fair polls?”

He further warned that the party would resist such decisions both legally and politically.

On internal disagreements, Alam clarified that while NCP does not share Jamaat-e-Islami’s stance on proportional representation for the lower house, the two parties remain aligned on the July Charter and demands for reform and justice.

He also signaled ongoing talks with Gano Odhikar Parishad on potential unification, and called for the ban of Jatiya Party, accusing it of enabling authoritarian rule alongside the Awami League.

Criticizing local administration, he alleged that district officials were pandering to political parties, undermining professionalism.

Alam also condemned the politicization of schools in Panchagarh, where he claimed student wings were forming committees. “Educational institutions must be free from political influence,” he stressed.