New party BDP seeks EC registration

A new political party named Bangladesh Development Party has sought to be registered with the Election Commission amid reports it has links with Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh.

The leaders of the new party, however, denied any connection with Jamaat, which had lost its registration with the EC following a High Court order.

Bangladesh Development Party on Wednesday submitted 50,000 pages of documents with its application signed by its general secretary Nizamul Haque. The chairman of the new party is Advocate Anwarul Islam.

After submitting the application, Anwarul told reporters that they have no connection with Jamaat. He said they will soon come up with every detail of the party.

The High Court in 2013, declared the registration of Jamaat illegal and the Election Commission in 2018 cancelled the registration of Jamaat at the court's order.

Several media outlets reported that both Anwarul and Nizamul hold positions in different committees of Jamaat.

A few years ago, some leaders left Jamaat and formed a party called AB Party. They also applied to the EC a few days seeking registration.

A political party needs to have an active central office, effective committees in at least one-third of the administrative districts of the country and supporting documents of at least 200 voters in each of at least 100 upazilas/metropolitan thanas as members to get registered with the EC.

Election Commissioner Md Alamgir said in August had said Jamaat-e-Islami, which has lost its registration, has no chance to be listed in the EC under a different name.

Meanwhile, another party Natun Dhara Bangladesh (NDB) on Wednesday once again submitted an application to be registered with the EC. The party chairman Momin Mehedi, senior vice-chairman Shanta Farzana, presidium member Ekramul Huq Gazi, and media cell member Al Amin Munna submitted the application and supporting documents.