EC on the ground to verify the activities of 22 parties seeking registration

The Election Commission (EC) has ordered field officers to submit an investigation report by August 31 after conducting an on-site investigation into the functioning of the district and upazila offices of 22 new political parties seeking registration. EC Senior Assistant Secretary Mohammad Delwar Hossain sent this instruction to the field officers on Monday (August 25). It said that the parties’ central committees, district and upazila committees and evidence of support of 200 voters in each committee will be verified at the field level. The next stage of the registration process of the new political parties will begin only after receiving this report. Out of the total 143 parties seeking registration, the 22 that have passed the selection process are: Forward Party, Aam Janata Dal, Bangladesh Ganotantrik Party (BGP), Bangladesh Sanskarbadi Party (BRP), Bangladesh Nejame Islam Party, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Marxist), Bangladesh Justice and Development Party, Jatiya Janata Party, Janatar Dal, Janata Party Bangladesh, Bangladesh Aam Janata Party, Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP), Bangladesh Jatiya League, Bhashani Janashakti Party, Bangladesh Bekar Mukti Parishad, Bangladesh Communist Party (Marxist)-CPB (M), Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Shahjahan Siraj), Jamiat Ulama-e Islam and Nejame Islam Party, Bangladesh Bekar Samaj (BABES), Bangladesh Solution Party and Notun Bangladesh Party. According to the law, a party seeking registration must have a central committee, one-third of the district and 100 upazila committees. In addition, a member who was previously a member of parliament or received 5 percent of the votes in the pre-election is also considered a condition for registration. In addition to these main conditions, there are some other rules and regulations that must be followed when applying.