EC clears NCP and Jatiya League for registration, bars 7 others

The Election Commission (EC) has approved the registration of the National Citizens Party (NCP) and the little-known Bangladesh Jatiya League ahead of the 13th parliamentary elections, while excluding seven parties outright from the process.

Election Commission Secretary Akhtar Ahmad confirmed on Tuesday that both parties fulfilled the basic legal requirements—functional central, district, and upazila committees supported by at least 200 voter endorsements each—and will now move into the final stage of registration. A public notice inviting objections will be issued shortly.

However, the NCP’s chosen electoral symbol, the Shapla (water lily), will not be available as it is absent from the EC’s official list of 115 approved symbols. An alternative will be confirmed before the party is formally registered.

Bangladesh Jatiya League Chairman Mahbubul Alam could not be reached for comment. According to EC documents, the party’s office is located at House 1/1, Road-3, Block A, Tanpara Ati, Keraniganj, Dhaka.

The decision follows on-site verification of 22 political parties shortlisted from 143 applicants. Of these:

2 parties—NCP and Bangladesh Jatiya League—have been cleared for registration.

3 parties—Bangladesh Aam Jangan Party, Jatiya Janata Party, and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (Shahjahan Siraj)—require further review.

9 parties must submit additional documents.

7 parties have been excluded, namely: Forward Party, Bangladesh Communist Party (Marxist), Bangladesh Sanskarbadi Party, Bangladesh Bekar Samaj, Bangladesh Solution Party, New Bangladesh Party, and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam and Nezame Islami Party.

The Bangladesh Nezame Islami Party, although excluded in this round, will receive registration by court order.

Party registration with the EC, introduced ahead of the 2008 general election, is mandatory for contesting national polls. Currently, 55 parties are registered, though five—including Jamaat-e-Islami—lost their status over the years. Jamaat’s registration was reinstated in June 2024 following a High Court order.

The present EC, led by Chief Election Commissioner AMM Nasir Uddin, has been conducting strict scrutiny amid heightened political mobilisation since the August 2023 transition. Several emerging groups, including AB Party, Ganadhikar Parishad, Nagorik Oikya, and Ganosamhati Andolon, have already secured registration under this process.

With the 13th parliamentary elections set for February 2025, the registrations of NCP and Bangladesh Jatiya League will be finalised after the objection period closes and disputes, if any, are resolved. Once gazetted, both parties will be eligible to nominate candidates under their assigned electoral symbols.