Losing deposit in 5 polls, Samyabadi Dal's wheel still spins

Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal headed by former industries minister Dilip Barua is fielding six candidates in the 12th national polls, which is the highest ever in its election history.

The party has so far participated in five national elections since 1991 but lost security deposit in all these polls.

In the 1991 national elections, four candidates from the party bagged a total of 1,552 votes, with a decline to 1,148 votes in 1996 polls, and 387 votes in 2018.

The party could not collect nomination forms for the 2014 election for not having sufficient documents.

Party General Secretary Dilip Barua has contested in four national elections from Chattogram-1 seat, losing his security deposit each time.

Although he did not contest in the 2008 election, he was appointed as a technocrat Minister of Industries, thanks to his party's membership in the Awami League-led 14-party alliance.

To contest in the upcoming election, Dilip Barua has submitted his nomination form for Chattogram-1. 

During a dialogue with the Election Commission on 4 November, Dilip Barua stated, "There should not be any difference between words and deeds. All decisions made to uphold the principles of a free and fair election must be implemented faithfully and by the law.

"The election must be kept free from the influence of money and mussel power." 

Bangladesher Samyabadi Dal was born from the split in the Communist Party in 1972. The sixth national council of the party, held in 1995, elected Dilip Barua as the general secretary. Since then, he has been serving in that position.

The electoral symbol of the party is the wheel.