Staff Reporter :
The Election Commission (EC) has confirmed the withdrawal of the Awami League’s electoral symbol, the “Boat”, from active use in the electoral schedule, citing concerns over potential public confusion. At the same time, the “Shapla” symbol, sought by the National Citizen Party (NCP), has not been included in the official schedule.
Speaking to reporters at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, Dhaka, on Wednesday, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed clarified that the decision was taken solely to eliminate speculation and misunderstanding surrounding the boat symbol, which has long been associated with the Bangladesh Awami League.
“There has been some uncertainty among the public regarding the boat symbol. Since the Awami League’s registration is currently suspended under a court order, the EC decided to withdraw the symbol from active use to prevent confusion,” Akhtar said. “Let me be clear: this decision was not made under any form of pressure.”
He explained that although the boat symbol remains in the official gazette, its usage is restricted. “It will be reserved and protected – no other party will be permitted to use it,” he added.
Addressing speculation about external influence, the Senior Secretary reiterated, “The symbol still exists in the gazette. It has only been removed from current use for clarity. No external pressure influenced this decision.”
On the subject of the “Shapla” (water lily) symbol, Akhtar noted that it has not been included in the latest electoral schedule. “The EC has not added the shapla symbol as of now. Whether it will be included in future will depend on the Commission’s decision,” he said.
Regarding the “Scales” symbol, which has previously been linked to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Akhtar acknowledged a potential technical oversight. “The symbol may have appeared on our website or in a gazette upload, but supporting information explaining its context was omitted. This will be addressed appropriately,” he stated.
The EC’s latest clarifications come amid growing public interest and scrutiny surrounding the allocation and display of election symbols ahead of the upcoming polls.
