Dhaka, July 17 (V7N) – The Election Commission (EC) briefly removed the boat symbol—representing the suspended Awami League—from its official website on Wednesday morning. The party's registration date and symbol details were also deleted, as confirmed by EC System Manager Rafiqul Haque, who cited instructions from higher authorities. However, later that night, the symbol and associated data reappeared online.
 
Following discussions among Commissioners at Tuesday evening’s informal meeting, EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed told journalists that the boat emblem remains officially listed in legal documents (Taposhil) but was removed from the website to avoid confusion. He clarified that the symbol itself remains reserved under election regulations and that no other party can claim it.
 
Ahmed emphasized that the decision was made free of external pressure. He confirmed that following previous reinstatement measures, the symbol for Jamaat-e-Islami ("scale") has not yet been added to the website.
 
The controversy stemmed from criticism by Local Government Advisor Asif Mahmud Sajeeb Bhuiyan over the boat symbol’s inclusion despite Awami League’s deregistration. He questioned EC’s decision-making and encouragement of political movements.
 
Since the government's collapse on August 5, the caretaker administration officially banned all activities of the Awami League and its affiliates on May 12. The EC subsequently suspended the party’s registration, though the boat remains a non-transferable election symbol.
 
On July 13, NCP representatives petitioned the Chief Election Commissioner to remove the boat from the Taposhil. Despite this, EC officials maintained that the symbol cannot be reallocated immediately, and no decision has been made regarding the "shapla" (water-lily) symbol's status.
 
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