EC has become partisan ahead of polls: Hasnat

Hasnat Abdullah, Chief Organiser of the Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) for the southern region, has launched a sharp critique of the Election Commission (EC), accusing it of partisanship and undermining electoral fairness ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Speaking to reporters on Saturday following a regional coordination meeting in Barguna aimed at revitalizing party mobilization, Hasnat expressed deep concern over what he described as the EC’s increasingly biased and arbitrary conduct.

“The Election Commission, which is constitutionally mandated to ensure free and fair elections, has now become divided and partisan,” Hasnat stated. “We are witnessing decisions that lack transparency and appear to favor certain political interests over others.”

He particularly criticized the EC’s handling of election symbol allocation, calling the process “rigid, medieval, and authoritarian.” The Shapla (water lily), a symbol historically associated with major political parties in past elections, has become a point of contention. Hasnat questioned why the NCP might be denied access to the symbol without a clear, justifiable explanation from the EC.

“If the Commission decides not to allocate the Shapla to our party, it must provide a logical and impartial rationale,” he insisted. “Decisions cannot be made behind closed doors or based on political considerations.”

Hasnat also accused both the ruling party and other opposition groups of stalling the implementation of the July Charter—a recently proposed electoral reform agreement aimed at ensuring neutrality and inclusivity in the upcoming polls. He warned that delays and backtracking on the charter could further erode public trust in the democratic process.