The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Most of the political parties in the proposed grand alliance intend to contest the upcoming national election with their own symbols when Awami League (AL) yesterday urged the Election Commission (EC) to allow its allies to contest with its symbol 'Boat' if they so desired.

A four-member AL delegation, led by its office secretary Adv Abdul Mannan Khan, yesterday met EC Secretary M Humayun Kabir and handed over a party letter conveying their demand.

However, the EC told AL that such request letters from both the alliance and its willing partner parties have to be submitted to the Commission to facilitate allocation of such requested symbol. "The candidates of AL-led alliance must mention 'Boat' as their symbol in nomination papers submitted to the EC along with AL's official consent or 'no objection' in this regard," Mannan Khan told reporters quoting the Commission Secretary.

He also said as Awami League would contest the upcoming parliamentary election by forging grand alliance, so the Commission has been informed of the matter through the letter.

The AL delegation also urged the Election Commission not to reject the nomination paper of the intending candidates for minor mistakes or due to some technical reasons.

Mannan informed newsmen that a top-level AL delegation had earlier, on November 5, discussed the matter with the Election Commission and the letter submitted yesterday was a follow-up to that.

Meanwhile, some leaders of Jatiya Party, Gonotantry Party and Ganoforum told the New Nation that they would contest the polls with their respective party symbols.

General Secretary of Ganotantry Party Gias Uddin Haider said, "Our party has decided to go for contesting with our election symbol 'Pigeon.' We will allow our candidates to use 'Boat' or any other symbol of other parties even if there is an electoral alliance."

He said, "We are in the 14-pary alliance but we will not join the so called grand alliance incorporating Jatiya Party, which actually does not exist."

Gano Forum Presidium Member Commander Abdur Rouf was also of the same opinion. He said, "we have no objection to forge alliance with AL if the party shows its commitment to our 23-point declaration. Deviation from 23-point would be a betrayal to Bangabondu and thousands of martyrs, as AL along with vowed about it."

He said, "forging alliance with communal parties and a former army dictator is a deviation."

Sources in the Jatiya Party also said that the party would fight with its own symbol "Plough," despite forging election alliance with AL.

But, Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon and National Awami Party (NAP) general secretary Adv Enamul Huq said that they were yet to decide about it.