The National Citizen Party (NCP) wants the water lily (shapla) as its election symbol. However, the election commission has refused to grant them this symbol. Yesterday, Thursday, NCP chief coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari visited the election commission and, after a meeting, reiterated their demand, saying, “Either the shapla symbol must be given, or the rice and golden jute symbols must be removed.” This was the condition NCP presented to the commission. Nasiruddin Patwari added, “Without the shapla symbol, NCP will not proceed with registration.”
Today, Mirza Fakhrul said, “Some individuals or parties are threatening or warning that unless a certain symbol is given, they won’t contest the election, or another symbol cannot be used. We never said that you cannot be given a symbol, so why this unwarranted tussle over BNP’s sheaf of paddy?”
Referring to the sheaf of paddy as indomitable, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “Wherever you go in the villages, there is only one slogan: just plant paddy, plant paddy. That is the main issue. That’s why some want the sheaf of paddy to be resisted, blocked. If the sheaf of paddy wins, then the enemies of Bangladesh will inevitably be defeated in all their conspiracies.”
Referring to Sheikh Hasina a “monster,” he added, “The monster Sheikh Hasina didn’t just flee to Delhi on a whim, she was forced to go because we built that foundation. After 15 years of struggle, fighting and sacrificing blood, we achieved that foundation.”