EC finally grants registration to two 'unknown' parties--BNM and BSP

The election commission has finally given registration to two 'unknown' political parties--Bangladesh Nationalist Movement (BNM) and Bangladesh Supreme Party (BSP) ahead of the parliamentary election slated to be held in December or January next year.

A release signed by public relations director at the election commission secretariat, Md Shariful Alam, on Thursday disclosed this.

According to the release, the symbol of BNM is 'Nongor' (anchor) while the symbol of BSP is 'Ektara' (one-string musical instrument).

According to law, a political party cannot participate in the election with a party symbol unless it is registered with the election commission. The newly registered party will be able to contest elections with party symbols. Now these two parties will be given registration certificates.

A total of 93 parties submitted applications seeking registration from the EC.

After the preliminary selection, the election commission decided to collect information about 12 parties from the field level. Ten were excluded due to lack of accuracy of the upazila committee.

The EC finally decided to register two parties, which created a stir in the political arena.

Many people are considering BNM and BSP as “King’s parties” as hardly any activity of the two parties is visible. After primary selection by the election commission, the two parties came up for discussion.

The reins of BNM belong to two former leaders of BNP. BNM’s convener professor Abdur Rahman is a former MP from BNP and member secretary Major (retd) Md Hanif is a former member of the party’s executive committee. BNM was constituted in 2021. BNP policy makers that time alleged that the government may have “conspiracies” in forming the party over the next parliamentary election. There is discussion in the political arena that some of the BNP leaders would be made candidates in the forthcoming 12th parliamentary election.

On the other hand, BSP chairman Syed Saifuddin Ahmed is also chairman of an Awami League leaning political alliance.

The two political parties are being given registration as part of strategies of the ruling party over the next polls. Such discussion is gaining momentum in the country’s political arena. Ten parties that did not get EC’s registration held a press conference jointly. They alleged that EC did not give registration to any other party except the two completely unknown parties at the behest of the government and advice of various agencies.