Staff Reporter :
In a development that has drawn significant political attention, the Election Commission (EC) has officially added the symbol ‘Shapla Koli’ (Lotus Bud) to its updated list of electoral symbols.
The move comes amid long-standing demands from the National Citizens’ Party (NCP), which has consistently claimed the Shapla (Lotus) as its rightful party symbol.
The EC published the updated list on Thursday, through a circular signed by EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, outlining the electoral symbols for registered political parties and independent candidates.
The notification included several additions and removals — with ‘Shapla Koli’ among the newly introduced ones.
At a seminar titled “Implementation of the July Charter and the Path to the National Election,” held at the NCP’s temporary office in the capital’s Banglamotor area, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasir Uddin Patwary reiterated the party’s unwavering position on the issue.
The seminar was organized by the party’s youth wing, Jatiyo Juboshokti (National Youth Power).
“We have always maintained that NCP stands by the Shapla symbol. NCP will contest the election with Shapla — we are uncompromising on this,” Patwary declared.
“We urge the Election Commission to quickly include Shapla in the list and restore the NCP’s legitimate right. You have already delayed too long — perhaps to benefit BNP and Jamaat, to suppress the power of the people, and to pave the way for Awami League.”
Addressing the EC directly, the NCP leader warned:
“We are asking you to stop these games. If you fail to do so, we will be compelled to protest in a democratic way — even to the point of demanding your resignation through peaceful demonstrations before the Election Commission itself.”
Although NCP leaders had demanded ‘Shapla’ (Lotus) as their official symbol, the EC instead listed ‘Shapla Koli’ (Lotus Bud) in the newly published gazette. Samantha Sharmin, Senior Joint Convener of NCP, described the EC’s move as “psychological pressure” on the party.
“The Election Commission has done this without any explanation — no legal or constitutional reasoning. By changing the name from ‘Shapla’ to ‘Shapla Koli’, they are trying to manipulate public perception and test our patience,” she said.
Sharmin further asserted that “a fair and credible election is not possible without restructuring the current Election Commission.”
The seminar was presided over by Md. Tarikul Islam, Convener of Jatiyo Juboshokti, and also attended by Tasnim Zara, Senior Joint Member Secretary, Zahirul Islam Musa, Joint Member Secretary, and Khaled Saifullah, Joint Convener of NCP.
The National Citizens’ Party, formed last year by student and youth activists who played a leading role in the anti-government movement that led to the fall of the Awami League, has been demanding the Shapla symbol since it was recognized as a registrable political party by the EC a few months ago.
However, the EC had repeatedly refused the request.
On September 23, EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told journalists that “NCP cannot be allocated the Shapla symbol because it is not included among the 115 reserved symbols under the latest schedule.”
That list, issued on September 24, had reserved 115 symbols — excluding ‘Shapla’.
Despite this, NCP leaders insisted that there was no legal barrier to their demand.
\
Sarzis Alam, Chief Organizer of the party’s Northern region, recently stated:
“There is no question of NCP not getting Shapla. Since there is no legal restriction, we will secure our rightful symbol through due process.”
Symbol Finally Included
After weeks of uncertainty and political tension, the EC’s latest notification — issued on Thursday — officially included ‘Shapla Kali’ in the national symbol list.
Although the party had sought the plain Shapla as its emblem, political observers view the inclusion of Shapla Kali as a partial victory for NCP, marking a symbolic recognition of its growing influence on the political stage following the July Uprising and subsequent July Charter movement.
For the NCP, however, the fight appears far from over.
As Nasir Uddin Patwary emphasised during the seminar:
“We will not compromise on the Shapla issue. Shapla is not just a symbol — it represents the people’s struggle, sacrifice, and spirit of renewal. No manipulation can take that away from us.”
The inclusion of Shapla Kali in the EC’s list has therefore sparked both celebration and contention — reflecting the intense symbolism politics continues to play in Bangladesh’s post-uprising democratic landscape.
