The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has formally requested the Election Commission (EC) to restore the previous provision of Article 20 of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) ahead of the 13th National Parliament elections.
Ismail Zabihullah, a member of the BNP Chairperson's Advisory Council, confirmed the appeal after meeting with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) A M M Nasir Uddin.
The party argues that political alliances must retain the democratic right to contest elections using either their own party symbol or the symbol of their chosen coalition partner, a long-standing practice that has never complicated the electoral process.
Zabihullah stated that the primary goal of an alliance is victory, and choosing a common symbol based on strategic preference is a necessary right for coalition partners.
He mentioned that the party's disagreement with the proposed amendment to Article 20 has been conveyed to the EC, the Consensus Commission, and the government's legal adviser.
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