‘No alternative but Shapla, NCP in firm position’ - Hasnat Abdullah’s declaration

The National Citizens Party (NCP) is continuing its fight to get its symbol ‘Shapla’ back. The party’s chief organizer for the southern region, Hasnat Abdullah, has clearly stated that they are not considering any alternative to the Shapla symbol. The party has taken a firm stand to restore the symbol and will achieve it through political activities, he has announced.

Hasnat Abdullah made these remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting with the Election Commission (EC) in the capital’s Agargaon at around 11 am on Sunday (October 19).
He was accompanied by NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari, Joint Convener Khaled Saifullah and Joint Member Secretary Zahirul Islam. The meeting lasted till 12:30 pm.

Hasnat Abdullah said, “We have no alternative but Shapla. Why should we take an alternative symbol? The Election Commission could not give any legal explanation for this. Someone has made up an explanation of their own. But we are steadfast in our position. Our struggle will continue for Shapla, only Shapla, and Shapla.”

He strongly criticized the behavior of the Election Commission and said, “In the current activities of the Election Commission, it seems that an institutional autocracy is being created. There is no specific policy for inclusion in the symbol list. There is also no clear explanation as to why Shapla will not be included in the list. It is also not clear under which policy the symbols given to other political parties in the country have been given. This is like the behavior of medieval kings and emperors making decisions.”

On the other hand, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari expressed hope and said, “We are still optimistic. The Election Commission has said that they will issue a notification. We have requested that Shapla be listed quickly and the people be informed that this symbol is ours.”

He further said, “The Chief Election Commissioner himself has said that the number of symbols can be increased or reduced as needed. That is, nothing has been finalized yet. We believe that the NCP will be given the Shapla symbol after considering the fair demands.”

Party sources said that since its inception, the NCP has been using the Shapla as a symbol of their political identity. Leaders believe that this symbol is not just a symbol—but a symbol of the party’s ideology, organization, and relationship with the people.

Political analysts believe that if the NCP gets the Shapla symbol back, then the party’s organizational activities will get a new momentum. However, the Election Commission’s policy uncertainty has become a major obstacle for the party.