Three Jatiya Party factions claim right to ‘plough’ election symbol

CEC Nasir says confusion remains over rightful claimant, as disputes deepen within the party

Three rival factions of the Jatiya Party (JaPa) have begun wrangling over the right to use the election symbol “plough”, amid demands to ban the party.

Within less than two years, the faction led by GM Quader has seen two splits -- one under Raushon Ershad and another in August under Anisul Islam Mahmud.

Both groups are now asserting that the party’s constitution gives them sole authority over the “plough”.

Raushon, widow of Jatiya Party founder Hussain Muhammad Ershad, initially remained silent after breaking away before the 12th parliamentary election. Her faction now insists it is the “only legitimate claimant” to the symbol.

But Secretary General Shameem Haider Patwary, from the GM Quader-led group, said no one else could be allocated the plough. He voiced confidence that the Election Commission would reserve the symbol for Quader’s faction.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin admitted on Thursday that the commission was caught in confusion over who the real claimant to the plough was.

His remark prompted both the Raushon and Anisul-led groups to issue press releases claiming the symbol.

Asked whether the party would be invited to join the commission’s dialogue, the CEC replied: “Let the time come, we will see. We haven’t started the dialogue yet. The National Consensus Commission is still in discussion."

“We will talk to civil society and others, then finally sit with the parties. Now political disputes [over JaPa] are ongoing, let us see what happens.”

The GM Quader-led faction remains the only registered version with the Election Commission. Yet the faction led by Anisul and ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader has already written to the commission, declaring itself the “real JaPa”.

The leadership split has now left the Election Commission uncertain about which faction is entitled to the symbol.