Oikya Front symbol 'sheaf of paddy'

The Jatiya Oikya Front, a new opposition alliance of the BNP and several other parties, will contest the forthcoming parliamentary election with a common symbol, 'Sheaf of Paddy'.

Nagorik Oikya Convener Manna came up with the announcement yesterday after a meeting of the alliance leaders at Dr Kamal Hossain's Motijheel chamber. "All the partners of the Oikya Front will contest the polls by picking a common symbol. That common symbol is paddy sheaf," said Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a leader of the alliance.

Sheaf of Paddy is the official election symbol of the BNP which boycotted the 2014 parliamentary election protesting against the scrapping of the caretaker government system.

Earlier on October 13, BNP, Gono Forum, Nagorik Oikya, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) and Jatiya Oikya Prokriya together launched the anti-government alliance led by Dr Kamal Hossain.

Kader Siddique and his party Krishak Sramik Janata League joined the Oikya Front later. About Wednesday's clash between police and BNP activists at Nayapaltan, Manna said the incident took place due to government provocations.

He further said Awami League leader HT Imam threatened the Election Commission with his comment that the election cannot be delayed even for an hour.

Manna alleged that the government wants Oikya Front not to join the election, but they will go to the polls braving all the odds and obstacles.

The Oikya Front leader also said they will continue to press their demand for delaying the election.The Oikya Front had decided to join the election despite the government's refusal to meet its seven-point charter of demands.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has revised the schedule pushing back the national election by a week to December 30 following the Oikya Front's demand for deferring the polls by a month.

The EC has set November 28 as the deadline for filing nomination papers, December 2 for scrutiny and December 9 as the last date of withdrawal.

The Oikya Front leaders on Wednesday met with the Commission again and called for deferring the schedule further. The EC meanwhile rejected the demand.