BNP alleges biased placement of party symbols on postal ballots

BNP today filed a complaint with the Election Commission (EC), saying that expatriate Bangladeshi voters will have difficulty seeing the party’s symbol and name clearly on postal ballots, as they are placed in the middle of the ballot.

The party said that the names and symbols of several other political parties were deliberately positioned in the first row of the postal ballot, raising concerns of bias.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the chief election commissioner (CEC) at the EC headquarters in Dhaka’s Agargaon this afternoon, BNP Standing Committee member Nazrul Islam Khan said the postal ballots sent to expatriate Bangladeshis intentionally feature the names and symbols of certain political parties in the first row, while the BNP’s name and symbol are placed in the middle.

He added that when the ballot is folded, BNP’s name and symbol are not easily visible.

Nazrul said they discussed the matter with the EC, which responded that it had not paid enough attention to this issue.

The BNP leader said three major political parties had their names and symbols appear in the first row. “If the ballot had five or six columns instead of four, such placement would not have been possible.”

He argued that this arrangement was deliberate and carried out with a “specific intent”.

He urged the EC not to let this strategy be applied in postal ballots within the country, saying, “We have demanded correction, as the method currently being used is incorrect and creates certain errors.”

Regarding BNP candidates with dual citizenship, Nazrul said discussions were held with the EC. He noted that some of the party’s candidates are facing issues related to dual citizenship.

“Some candidates’ nominations are being cancelled in appeals to the EC. They may not belong to our party; they could be from other parties. But we believe the law should apply equally to everyone,” he said.

Nazrul also noted that many candidates had been forced to leave the country during the last 15-16 years and had acquired citizenship abroad. “They have returned under the changed circumstances, and denying them the right to contest elections would be unjust.”

He said BNP wants elections to be held on time and stressed the importance of a level playing field. “We want everyone to participate in the election, without anyone being deprived of opportunities or forced out of the electoral field. We are continuously working to maintain a fair environment,” he added.

The BNP leader also raised allegation against a certain party over collecting ID cards and mobile numbers from voters in various areas, noting that the purpose of this activity is clear and politically motivated. “We have participated in many elections, but this has never happened before. It is clearly being done with a specific agenda,” he said.

When asked about BNP’s position on the referendum, Nazrul said, “We were the first to demand reforms. All reform proposals have been discussed and committees formed in line with our suggestions. We participated, contributed, and agreed on many points. On matters where we disagreed, we submitted a note of dissent.”

“We are not against the reforms; we support them. Therefore, we will vote ‘Yes.’ That is our decision,” he added.