Asif Mahmud slates EC for retaining boat symbol

Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain has criticised the Election Commission (EC) for retaining the Awami League's "boat" election symbol despite the party being banned from engaging in political activities.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday night, Asif Mahmud wrote: "On what grounds did you [the EC] send the cursed 'boat' symbol for vetting to the law ministry to be included in the schedule again?"

Ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections, the EC has decided to revise election regulations and retain 115 electoral symbols. A draft of the revised rules has been sent to the law ministry for vetting.

Following the reinstatement of Jamaat-e-Islami’s registration, its "weighing scales" symbol has been added to the list. Although the Awami League’s registration remains suspended, the boat symbol is still included.

Asif Mahmud, who joined the interim government as a student representative of last year's July Uprising that toppled the Awami League government, has raised concerns over the decision.

"As a constitutional body, you’ve just thumbed your nose at the people’s uprising. Whose agenda are you implementing, and for whom are you keeping this symbol?”

The Awami League's 15-year rule was ended by the student-led mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024. Party chief Sheikh Hasina fled to India after stepping down as prime minister.

In response to demands from various factions involved in the uprising, the government on May 12 banned all activities of the Awami League, including its affiliate, associate, and like-minded organisations. The EC later suspended the party’s registration.

Despite that, Election Commissioner Abdur Rahmanel Masud has defended retaining the boat symbol, saying election symbols are never banned.

"The boat symbol was allocated to a party but symbols belong to the Election Commission," he told reporters on Jul 13.

"When the allocation was made in the name of the party, [its registration] wasn’t cancelled. The party still exists.

"Even if a party is dissolved, its symbol remains with the EC and can be reallocated. We don’t eliminate symbols."

Since the introduction of party registration in 2008, the EC has kept symbols reserved under party names.

Currently, 69 symbols are reserved for registered parties and independent candidates contesting national elections.

The list includes several symbols from parties whose registrations have been cancelled, such as tiger, key, axe, and hookah.

Defending the retention of the boat symbol, Commissioner Masud said:

"Our position is the legal position. The Freedom Party might no longer exist, but its symbol remains. Election symbols belong to the Election Commission. We allocate them. If it is allocated in the name of a party, they use it. Even if a party is dissolved, the symbol isn’t. That’s only logical."