Special Correspondent: Voters in Barisal-4 constituency, comprising Hijla and Mehediganj, are ecstatic after getting the opportunity to vote for the scale symbol, represented by Jamaat-e-Islami, in the upcoming national election. This is the first time in 30 years that the scale symbol will be on the ballot.

The symbol was last seen in the 1996 national election. The allocation of symbols for the 13th national election was finalized on Wednesday, and Jamaat-e-Islami`s candidate, Professor Mawlana Mohammad Abdul Jabbar, was allocated the scale symbol.

The news has sparked jubilation among party workers and supporters, who see it as a chance to showcase their strength and return to power.

Political analysts believe the return of the scale symbol could create a new political equation in the constituency, with voters eager to see the symbol on the ballot after a long absence.

The scale symbol was absent in the 2001 and 2008 elections due to the BNP-Jamaat alliance, and the 2014 and 2024 elections were boycotted by the alliance. In 2018, the BNP-Jamaat-led 18-party alliance candidate, Nurur Rahman Jahangir, contested under the rice paddy symbol.

The return of the scale symbol has generated excitement among voters, who are eager to exercise their franchise.