NCP Applies for Registration, Seeks National Flower 'Shapla' as Electoral Symbol

The newly formed political party, National Citizen Party (NCP), has expressed hope of securing the national flower "Shapla" (water lily) as its electoral symbol. NCP Convener Nahid Islam shared this with journalists at the Election Commission (EC) headquarters on Sunday evening (June 22, 2025) after meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) around 7 PM.

Sunday was the final day for submitting applications for political party registration. Several dozen new parties applied at the EC, including NCP, which submitted its application in the afternoon.

Speaking to reporters, Nahid Islam said, “We have applied for three symbols: Shapla (water lily), Pen, and Mobile Phone. But our first choice is Shapla. We believe that as a symbol of the people, a symbol of mass uprisings, and a familiar emblem of rural Bangladesh, Shapla rightfully belongs to the National Citizen Party. With this symbol, we will work for the people and participate in elections.”

Claiming that they have fulfilled more than the EC’s required conditions for registration, Nahid added, “We are hopeful that the National Citizen Party will be registered very soon and be recognized as a legitimate political party by the public.”

He also noted that their meeting with the Chief Election Commissioner was cordial. “We raised the issue of protecting the voting rights of expatriate Bangladeshis at any cost. The Commission has not finalized a method yet, but assured us that a mechanism will be introduced soon.”

On the request for the 'Shapla' symbol, Nahid Islam argued, “We’ve reviewed the laws of the Bangladesh Election Commission and found no restriction on using the national flower as an electoral symbol. For example, Jackfruit—the national fruit—has already been allocated to a party. So we don’t see any legal barriers. When we speak of the national emblem, it’s not just the Shapla alone—it includes the water lily, sheaves of rice on both sides, a jute leaf, and four stars. Notably, ‘Sheaf of Paddy’ and ‘Star’ are already used by registered political parties. Hence, we believe our request is lawful.”

He further added, “As you know, a process for reforming the National Consensus Commission is currently underway. Professor Muhammad Yunus has committed to announcing the 'July Declaration' based on national consensus. Therefore, our current political priority remains focused on reform. Whether or not we participate in the next election will depend on the progress of these reforms. From NCP’s perspective, our current political vision revolves around the July Declaration, reform, the roadmap for a Constituent Assembly, and ensuring justice.”

Present during the submission of the registration application at the EC were NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain, Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Chief Organizer (Northern Region) Sarjis Alam, Senior Joint Convener Samanta Sha... and others.