Bangladesh’s NCP Raises Alarm After Election Commission Denies ‘Shapla’ Symbol

Dhaka – Bangladesh’s National Citizen Party (NCP) has issued a warning over next year’s general elections, following the Election Commission’s (EC) decision not to allocate the party its requested electoral symbol, the “Shapla” (water lily).

Sarjis Alam, NCP’s chief organiser, took to social media stating, “Since there’s no legal barrier, the NCP’s symbol must be the Shapla. There is no other option. Otherwise, we will also see how the elections take place and who dreams of gaining power and enjoying the spoils.”

Alam criticised the EC, questioning why the party’s initial registration request for the Shapla symbol had not been accommodated. He suggested that EC officials may have been either “sitting idly” or taking instructions from another body, despite claiming independence.

EC Secretary Akhter Ahmed clarified on Tuesday that the Shapla cannot be allocated as it is not included in the EC’s reserved list of 115 electoral symbols.

Earlier, an NCP delegation met Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin on Monday. Following the meeting, the party’s chief coordinator, Nasiruddin Patwari, claimed, “Conspiratorial actions are being taken regarding these symbols. The NCP’s registration must be made with any one of these three—Shalpa, white Shalpa, red Shalpa—and this cannot be altered.”

The controversy has heightened political uncertainty in Bangladesh ahead of the 2026 general elections. Historically, the student leaders associated with NCP have collaborated with figures such as Muhammad Yunus and other radical groups aiming to challenge the democratically elected Awami League government led by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With inputs from IANS