Staff Reporter :
The National Citizen Party (NCP) has announced that it will contest the upcoming national election under the symbol of Shapla Koli—a waterlily bud—while declaring its intention to field candidates in all 300 parliamentary constituencies across Bangladesh.
NCP’s chief coordinator, Nasir Uddin Patwary, made the announcement on Sunday after a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin at the Election Commission headquarters in the capital’s Agargaon.
“We have decided to take the Shapla Koli symbol,” said Patwary. “Now, you may ask why we have chosen this when we haven’t yet received any explanation from the Commission about the symbol ‘waterlily.’
The Commission’s arbitrary behaviour is evident, but should we remain stuck on the issue of symbols? Should we not move into the election phase? Therefore, we are making this decision keeping the greater national interest in mind.”
Patwary claimed that the symbol had already received positive feedback nationwide.
“We have received encouraging responses from people across the country regarding Shapla Koli,” he said. “It’s a step ahead of the traditional Shapla—now it’s both the waterlily and its bud.
The Election Commission, we believe, has gone a step further by combining the bud and the flower.”
Reaffirming the party’s ambition to establish itself as a major political force, Patwary declared that the NCP would nominate candidates in all 300 constituencies.
“People from any part of the country who are interested in contesting the election are welcome to approach our office, and we will consider their candidacies,” he said.
Patwary also urged the Election Commission to expedite the party’s registration process, which remains pending.
The NCP delegation accompanying him included joint convenor and policy and research lead Khaled Saifullah, and joint member secretary Zahirul Islam Musa.
Founded in the wake of Bangladesh’s political realignment after 2024, the NCP has been positioning itself as a centrist reformist platform advocating transparency, merit-based politics, and national renewal.
Its latest decision signals a readiness to enter the mainstream electoral field despite procedural and regulatory challenges.
