Bangladesh Labour Party, known as an ally of BNP in its simultaneous movement, received official registration as a political party from the Election Commission with the electoral symbol ‘pineapple,’ on Thursday, following a High Court order.“We came this morning and collected our registration certificate,” Labour Party Chairman Mostafizur Rahman Iran told reporters after receiving the certificate.According to the certificate, signed by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, the commission registered the Bangladesh Labour Party as a political party under the Representation of the People Order (RPO), in compliance with the High Court’s May 29 judgment.

The party’s central office is located at 85/1 Nayapaltan Masjid Lane (3rd floor), Dhaka-1000.

With this, the total number of registered political parties now stands at 52, including Awami League. But AL’s registration was suspended by the EC in May last soon after the government banned its activities under the Anti-Terrorism Act, until the International Crimes Tribunal completes the trial of the party and its leaders.

A total of 56 parties have so far obtained registration, but five of them—Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Freedom Party, Oikyabodha Nagorik Andolan, PDP and Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (Jagpa)—later lost their status due to different grounds and court orders. But Jamaat has recently got back their registration following the court order.

Founded in 1974 by Maulana Abdul Matin, the Bangladesh Labour Party was banned in 1975 along with all other parties. The party was revived on October 22, 1977, under the leadership of Abdul Matin and Maulana Golam Mostafa during President Ziaur Rahman’s regime.