Fakhrul set to become new president of Bangladesh on BNP nomination
The veteran politician's election as the country's 23rd president on 20 August is cemented as the ruling BNP and its allies hold the two-thirds majority of seats - 250 - in parliament.
Senior BNP leader Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir is set to become the next president of Bangladesh as the ruling party has selected him as its candidate for the presidential election on 20 August.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the announcement of Fakhrul's nomination this afternoon (13 August), following a meeting of senior party leaders, chaired by Prime Minister and party Chairman Tarique Rahman, at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat.
"It is with great pleasure that I announce on behalf of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party that our dedicated secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, has become the BNP's presidential candidate," Rizvi said.
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Fakhrul's election as the country's 23rd president is now only a formality, as the ruling BNP holds the two-thirds majority of seats - 247 - in parliament.
Including the MPs of its ally parties, the BNP holds a total of 250 votes in parliament, cementing the veteran politician's election on 20 August.
On the other hand, the Jamaat-e-Islami-led opposition alliance has nominated Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Chairman Col (retd) Oli Ahmad as its presidential candidate. But with 90 votes, including the MPs of Jamaat and its current and former allies, Oli will not be able to put up a fight in the polls.
Upon becoming the presidential candidate, Fakhrul resigned as the BNP secretary general and as a member of the party's Standing Committee, he added.
Earlier, Tarique made the announcement towards the end of his opening remarks at the meeting, according to Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Ruman, reports UNB.
"He announced Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as the BNP's candidate for the presidential election," Ruman said, adding that the party leaders present at the meeting had welcomed the announcement with applause.
According to the election schedule, nomination papers must be submitted by 4pm today. A BNP delegation is expected to submit Fakhrul's nomination papers to the Election Commission in line with the schedule.
Fakhrul, elected from the Thakurgaon-1 constituency, currently serves as the minister for local government, rural development and cooperatives.
His nomination has also triggered discussions within the party over who will succeed him as BNP secretary general and who will take charge of his ministry.
The BNP collected two nomination forms for the presidential election on 9 August.
Meanwhile, the Jamaat-led opposition bloc submitted Oli's nomination papers to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin, also the returning officer of the presidential election, earlier today.
According to the Election Commission's schedule, candidates will submit nomination papers today. The forms will be scrutinised on 16 August, while 18 August is the deadline for withdrawing candidacies.
The proposer and seconder on a nomination form must be members of parliament. A candidate can submit more than one nomination, but one will be finalised after scrutiny.
Voting will be held in parliament from 2pm to 5pm on 20 August.
The country's 22nd president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, resigned on 24 July, citing serious health problems, requiring the Election Commission to organise a fresh presidential election before the end of his term.
Under the Constitution, Speaker of Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is currently serving as the acting president until a new president is elected. Deputy Speaker Barrister Kayser Kamal is currently serving as the acting speaker.
The Constitution requires a new president to be elected within 90 days of the office becoming vacant.
Having become the BNP's acting secretary general in 2011 and formally assuming the position in 2016, Fakhrul has served as party secretary general for more than a decade.
He led the BNP while then-chairperson Khaleda Zia was imprisoned and Tarique Rahman was abroad.
